Rules of Engagement
by MotherHeninFlorida
Summary: Episode 2 in my version of what happens in the lives and crime lab of our team post season 9. Episode 1 is called "Missing Heart." Description of this episode will be updated as the story is posted so that it doesn't give away any spoilers. Thank you for taking the time to R&R. It is very much appreciated and I do use what I learn to improve my writing. Disclaimers apply.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note and Disclaimer: Any recognizable character or setting is the property of the CSI franchise. I don't own any of it. The OC Emerald O'Ryan is my own construct._ _Updates will be every few days until completion unless life intervenes._

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Detective Mac Taylor and his wife Christine pulled up to the well-cared for and neat little home on a narrow street of other neat little homes. Some showed signs that they used to be neater and better cared for but overall the block was still a nice neighborhood with cars parked here and there, people leaning from one porch to the other speaking, kids playing, and some people out in their postage stamp sized yards trying to keep what little they had planted there nice despite autumn having definitely arrived, though it would be better to say that Indian Summer had arrived. After hesitating a moment Mac turned off the engine.

"Christine, are you sure you want to do this? I don't want to make either of them uncomfortable. Adam is only now getting back to normal - well, Adam normal - on an everyday basis." Even as he said it Mac knew it wasn't completely true. Yes Adam was closer to what he used to be and yet there were some noticeable differences that were nevertheless good though they took some getting used to.

Christine laughed her gentle laugh. Not everyone understood Mac's attraction to the woman at his side, beyond the obvious physical attraction to a beautiful woman. At one time everyone was sure that Mac and his former partner, Stella Bonasera, would eventually test the waters of a physical relationship regardless of office protocol; however, friendship was all either one ever admitted to. Even if there had been hidden, secret moments they shared Stella had moved on with her life; and in a way that is what prompted Mac to take a good, long look at his own. And then he became reacquainted with Christine – the sister of a partner that had died in the line of duty many years earlier. Somehow she would up tying his past, his present, and eventually his future together.

During his near death experience from the pharmacy shooting he "hallucinated" saying good bye to all of his friends with Claire, his first wife, there to comfort and guide him; but in the end death rejected him though it left its shadow behind. During his hallucination Claire had seemed to give Christine her nod of approval. As absurd as his logical mind found it, his hidden, more emotional side felt gratitude and relief from the guilt he'd been feeling. The fact that Christine had stayed by his side during his long and difficult recover and the fact that he'd made an ass of himself afterwards because of a lingering weakness that he didn't want anyone to know about, had been enough to capture his heart in full. It also didn't hurt that Christine didn't resent Claire's memory and even insisted on remembering her and not allowing Mac to shove the memories away in a back closet of his mind to protect her. Christine didn't need protecting, at least about that, because in her own way she loved and missed Claire as well. These thoughts floated in Mac's subconscious as they always did, as if he remained slightly surprised that life wasn't the terrible responsibility and burden that it had been for so long.

Christine was sometimes left wondering what her husband was thinking about, leaving her to be concerned about his introspection, but all she did this time was reach over and gently caress his check before saying, "Adam isn't just your employee Mac, he looks up to you. And knowing him, he's going to be slightly nervous even had we given notice we were dropping by, but not for a bad reason. We aren't asking ourselves to dinner Mac, I just want to thank Emi for the lovely portrait. I've only met her once and yet … Mac, I've got regular customers at the restaurant that work in the art world that have seen it and asked who the artist was."

Mac relaxed. Christine was right. And it might go some distance to helping Emi get her self-confidence back. Adam had let slip that the strength in her left hand was slow to return and that sculpting in the clay required for the commissions she made a living at sometimes left her gasping in pain at the end of the day … and depressed that the weakness was jeopardizing her primary source of income.

With a smile letting her know she was getting her way, and ever the gentleman, got out of the car and came around to open her door. They were half way up the walk to the front door when they heard a crash from inside through the windows left open to air out the house. The crash was followed by a yell, not of fright but of extreme irritation. Mac also heard a lot of running feet and then Adam all but bellowed in exasperation, "That's it! New ground rule! No ladders for you!"

"What?!" That was Emi's highly agitated squawk. "How am I supposed to reach the ceiling if …"

"Ceiling?! You're hanging from the crown molding Emi! No! Don't move! I'll get you down!"

Another familiar voice yelped, "C'mooooon Emi! Cut us guys a break. This is the third time in two days. You just got that boot thing off of your foot. Adam, grab her legs and Hawkes and I will get the ladder."

Christine looked at Mac with surprise at his quiet chuckle. "Mac?"

"I told you that Emi gets into … predicaments. But it sounds like Adam has this one under control."

He took a couple of steps to the right of the front door and looked through the open window. "Need some help?" he asked through the screen.

All four people in the room yelled, "Mac!"

"And Christine," his wife added looking around to also peer into the room.

Adam ran to the front door and let them in. "Mac, you gotta help. Tell Emi she can't get on ladders anymore."

"Oh no, you're not getting me in the middle of this one. I learned my lesson last time. Besides, I'm sure Emi has sense enough to know, that now she's made the attempt for herself … three times … that she needs to be careful of straining her knee and ankle so she doesn't have to go back into the boot."

Emi gazed at him and knew Adam would be reminding her of Mac's words far too often. Mac knew that he was walking a thin line and quirked an eyebrow at Emi who was nearly ready to capitulate until Adam said helpfully, "Like a car with too many unpaid tickets."

Emi yelped in indignation, "Is that a crack about the size of my … trunk?!" Emi had been forced to do a lot of sitting as she healed and it wasn't her imagination that jeans that were once baggy fit tighter in a couple of places she wasn't happy about.

Nonchalantly Adam answered, "I like the size of you … er … wait … what has that got do to with … never mind." Adam shook his head slightly to get rid of the minor confusion that wanted to grow there from Emi's habit of shifting conversational topics too quickly. "Emi please. My hair follicles are begging you."

"Stop worrying about your hair follicles – honestly, men and their weird phobias about balding – and tell me, if I am being restricted from using ladders, just how am I supposed to finish painting this room?"

Adam, Danny, and Hawkes all said at the same time, "We'll do it."

Just then a timer could be heard going off in the vicinity of the kitchen and Emi took off in that direction at top speed. Danny squinted after her before saying, "I swear if I didn't know better that she planned this."

Just then a delicious aroma wafted towards the front of the house. Emi yelled out, "Just in time! They're ready!"

Adam and Danny suddenly got the zombified and drooling look a hungry man gets when a pan of cookies comes fresh out of the oven. Hawkes got a hopeful look as he too had gotten mildly addicted to the cookies that Adam brought to the office once a week or so. Even Mac's stomach gave a polite growl. Christine grinned and then started to laugh quietly. She'd heard about Emi's cookies and had even managed to taste a few when she visited Mac at the lab, which wasn't often and only when he had to work late and would need dinner. Seeing the men that worked for Mac staring at the hallway reminded her of how her brother Stan and his friends, including Mac, used to be when they came over and she'd baked a cake or similar. It brought a warm nostalgic feeling and made her even more inclined to like this young woman whom Mac had credited with being so good for his protégé. He'd also told her, though no one was to know, that Mac was trying to mentor him so that when the current Lab Supervisor retired – in the not too distant future – he'd be able to move Adam into the position.

At that moment Emi walked in with a platter of cookies in her hands … which suddenly moved as if levitated as all of the men "helped her" take them to the folding table set up in middle of the room where only crumbs remained of the previous platter of cookies.

Christine saw Emi shake her head fondly and mutter something that sounded like "bottomless pits" and "hollow legs". Christine smiled quietly agreeing with her as even Mac, despite the fact they'd just eaten an early dinner, took his share as well.

Turning in Emi's direction Christine said, "We won't keep you but I asked Mac to drive by so that I could thank you in person for the lovely portrait. Mac had it framed for me and I hung it at the restaurant."

"What?! Oh … uh … um …"

Christine smiled at the red-faced woman and said, "We've gotten several compliments and several requests for the name of the artist. I haven't said anything yet however as I wanted to ask you first before I gave your name to those that would be complete strangers to you. I wasn't sure if you would be interested in taking commissions."

Emi relaxed. "Thank you. I … I used to do portraits when I … well, before I got married. It was a way to pick up pocket money and pay for bus passes and the like. I'm … I'm not sure that …" Emi stopped and looked down at her left hand as if perplexed as to why it wouldn't do what she wanted it to do after so many years of faithful service. Haltingly she said, "Let me think about it. If … if other work doesn't turn up I may … anyway, just let me think about it." Then she smiled and said, "You and Mac were easy subjects. You both have great bone structure and interesting faces, lots of character. And I saw you when you looked at each other … it completed the picture in my head so that I could get it down on paper."

"You know," Christine said with a great deal too much understanding for Emi's comfort. "Mac took longer to heal than he expected as well. He just couldn't understand why force of will alone didn't work." She smiled gently and added, "Give yourself some time. And even if you have to learn a new way of plying your trade, that's not necessarily a bad thing." Christine looked at her own right wrist and Emi saw a thin scar and stitch marks. "Carpal tunnel from too many years of repetitive action. The adding machine and keyboard got me."

Emi looked at her own thin and still healing scar. "It's just … numb in places. Not as bad as when the cast first came off but bad enough. Especially the tip of a couple of my fingers. I can't feel the clay and have to hold my hands differently to get the effect I need." She looked over at Adam from beneath her lashes. "Adam says to stop worrying about it but I hate that he has to carry so much of the burden for our upkeep. I haven't relied on someone like that since becoming an adult and moving out on my own. It's … it's …"

"Scary." When Emi gave her a startled glance Christine nodded. "Oh believe me, I know. Being independent, the one in charge, the holder of the wallet, and everything else. Knowing that you are the one that sits at the desk where the buck stops. And then suddenly, learning to trust someone in a way that is almost alien to you at that point. Trusting a man with your body seems infinitely easier on some days than trusting a man with what feels like bits of your soul … even when you love him. Those life lessons are harsh … having to learn total independence, then to suddenly discover that you need to go further and learn that sometimes to gain independence you have to give part of it up. I'm still learning it … and the men in our lives have to learn their own lessons as well which occasionally leaves us working at cross purposes."

Emi really looked at this woman and realized that though they were several years apart in age, they shared many of the same compulsions … independence, the drive to succeed, and the need to be needed to name a few. The primary difference between them was that Christine's life, despite the things that had happened to her, had formed a gentle soul. Emi could be gentle but it wasn't her natural state of being. In fact most of the time Emi considered herself unnatural.

Emi's ability to interact with the world around her took real effort on her part. She had set boundaries and rules and practices that helped her to do so as constructively as possible … that left as little damage in her wake as she could. It wasn't always enough. The rules that reminded her how she could and should not treat those around her. Sometimes there aren't enough or they aren't strong enough.

Emi shook herself. _No need to go down that path again, you've already worn a rut in your brain over it_.

It was at that moment that Mac's phone rang. He frowned at the caller ID before answering. "Taylor."

Everyone in the room was expectant and as surely as tummy aches come from too many little green apples Mac hung up and said, "We have a case."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Indian Summer is an elusive season; as much as it is looked forward to, it does not always arrive. Sometimes summer slams into autumn that then slams into winter with barely a breath of a break between them. But not this year, Indian Summer had arrived in full force, the day after Halloween. Thus instead of the sweaters and long coats everyone's closets in NYC should be dictating, the weatherman reported that it was 80 degrees in the city, hazy, and humid enough that shorts and a t-shirt still felt good. Adam and Emi had finally gotten the heater fixed after nearly freezing for a full week as the nights were clear and cold only now here that they could have heat they needed air conditioning – which wasn't working.

It was almost as if, Emi thought, they couldn't win for losing. No sooner would they get one thing fixed than they realized they had really needed to work on the thing they thought they could put off. Tonight had been meant to know a few of those things off the list with the help of friends that didn't want to vegetate at home alone. Yet again, Emi felt that if she didn't have bad luck she'd have no luck at all. Logically she knew that was ridiculous because she had Adam, but for heaven's sake the man wasn't a four leaf clover or rabbit's foot. Emi tried to tell herself that sometimes life just happened, unfortunately it seemed to happen to her more often and with a harsher impact.

After Mac delivered the news of the new case, he left to run Christine home before heading into the office. Adam would be following him shortly. Danny and Hawkes were both calling their respective significant others … Lindsey out of town in Montana with the children visiting her family since they couldn't get away for Christmas this year, and Hawkes' latest amore in Florida visiting the grandmother that had raised her. Emi was packing up the cookies and leftovers so the men could have them … or Adam would take it into the office and it would be there for the other two when they took a break.

Emi had had the afternoon and evening planned out. Technically it was supposed to have been for Danny's and Hawkes' benefit to keep them from getting morose with their ladies absent, but Emi acknowledged it had been more about keeping her from being morose than them. She hated being at loose ends. Hated it. Damn her continuing weaknesses … hand, leg, and everything else that hurt no matter that she followed the blasted orders of the therapists to the letter. And yes that was therapists plural … it wasn't just therapies for the physical injuries she'd sustained during her kidnapping (see Episode 1: "Missing Heart"). Adam, Emi's friend, housemate – and some would say keeper – had decided to get counseling to deal with memories of the abuse he'd suffered at his father's hands growing up and it was really helping. He'd suggested – a little cautiously – that perhaps she would benefit from talking to someone as well.

" _Poor Adam_ ," Emi thought. " _He wants to help me. And I know it is even for my sake and not because he dislikes who I am overall. But as much as I know he cares for me he simply doesn't understand I've been through this rot my entire life. My brain just isn't hardwired to be normal. I tried normal, was forced into trying it at the group home, and it nearly killed me or nearly got me killed depending on how you want to look at it._ " Emi sighed feeling like she was letting him down. There was nothing for it … she was going to have to make work for herself somehow and until she could make that work pay they might as well get the benefit of her hyperactivity here around the house.

Coming into the kitchen to tell her that Danny and Hawkes were almost ready to pull out Adam got a pleading look on his face after spotting the look on hers. Pointing to his hair, "See this? I'd like my follicles to remain active and healthy. I do not want to be the only bald man in my family. And if you keep falling off ladders …"

"I didn't fall off the ladder … the ladder fell, I hung on. Remember?"

"Emi … you're gorgeous, brilliant, cook so good I've had to start going to the gym or risk having to roll to work, and you've got enough academic letters after your name to make the Cyrillic alphabet jealous, but I swear if I catch you up on another ladder …"

"You'll what?" she asked calling his bluff.

Adam's shoulder slumped and he said, "I don't know but I'll think of something as soon as my brain doesn't fill like you've put it through a blender. C'mon Emi … please. I can't stand the idea that you might get hurt much less hurt when I'm not here."

Emi rolled her eyes and then looked up to see Danny sticking his head around the door to see if there was a cookie close enough to snitch. Grumpily she asked, "What are you looking at?"

Danny Messer wiped his nose and mouth to try and control the smile that he could never quite hide when Adam and Emi got into one of their "spats." He finally chuckled and said, "Don't draw me into it 'cause I ain't pickin' sides. But … if I was a betting man … and I am … I would say that Adam will win this one because you really don't want to worry him."

"Oh shut up," Emi said more than mildly disgruntled, not the least because everyone in the room knew that Danny was right.

She didn't want to worry Adam but she wasn't ready to just roll over either. Adam had been nearly impossible for the last two months as she'd slowly recovered from injuries she'd sustained at the hands of a husband and wife serial killer team that the newspapers had dubbed the Missing Heart Killers.

"Oh … just go on with all of you. Show's over. I'll be a good girl and not worry you big he-men. Go on I said. Shoo!"

Danny left laughing but Adam lingered. "Emi …"

"I said …"

"I know," he said gently taking her into his arms. "I just wanted to say thank you."

"For what?" she asked irritably.

"For … all of it. It's just that you only got the cast and brace off not that long ago and the doctor said to take things slow."

Emi sighed. "Stop it with your sweet talkin' Adam Ross or I'll get even more cross than I already am."

Adam knew he had "won" and wouldn't belabor the point … he'd at least learned that much. The doctor really had said to take things slow but the truth was he worried that Emi's gremlins might pop up and she'd wind up back in a cast sooner rather than later. Finally satisfied that at least it wouldn't be ladders that played a role in her next predicament Adam and the other men left taking the dinner she had meant to serve them that night … and plenty of cookies to tide them over until they could get to it.

Since painting was out … at least any that required ladders … Emi thought about the remainder of her long to do list. Then it came to her, the one task she'd been avoiding since they'd moved in, not the least of which was because when she faced it she wanted everyone out of the blast zone in case it brought on a meltdown.

She didn't really want to do this. She'd been having nightmares about it. But it was time. It was either that room or the attic and since Adam had already made her promise to wait on him to start the attic …

# # # # #

Danny and Hawkes finally made it to the crime scene. It was a very cross Don Flack who met them at the high-rise's elevator and grumbled, "Did you take the scenic route or what?"

Rather than give him a direct answer Hawkes said, "Emi sent you a sandwich and some cookies. They're down in the car."

Immediately Don's mood shifted a little; he wasn't less irritated but at least now he had something to look forward to besides stale coffee and paperwork. "At least someone appreciates me," he said allowing a small grin to replace the sour expression of a moment before. "Just don't tell the lab rat that or I might just lose access to the best cookies since my sainted grandmother's."

Danny, suddenly all business now that they were at the crime scene asked, "What've we got."

"Double homicide. But that ain't the problem."

"Ok, I'll bite," Danny said now curious. "What's the problem?"

The trademark snark that Don was famous for was out for the world to see when he said, "Oh, I'll let Agent Becall explain that one … Agent Haylen Becall. You two remember her don't you?"

* * *

 **Author's Note** : hanks to everyone that has read and reviewed. Special mention goes to Smuffly, of course, but I'd also like to give a shout out to Cornish pasties as well as well as those that have marked the story to follow. My plan is to update every two to three days depending on real life and the upcoming holidays afterall ... cookies, you know? LOL


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Ok, ok ... I wasn't totally thrilled that the first two chapters set the stage for the crime and character interaction properly so here are the next two that hopefully do it better. After this it really will be another day or two before the next chapter goes up as I have a boatload of work to wade through.

And I'd like to thank every one that has R&R'd. Some of the comments have given me some ideas for future stories and plot lines.

 **Chapter 3**

A woman coming down the hall asked with an irritating smugness, "Did I hear Detective Flack just use my name in vain?"

Decidedly unhappy with the situation Flack muttered under his breath, "I'd like to take your name in vain." Turning to Danny and Hawkes Flack said in a fake cheerful voice, "I'll leave you three to get reacquainted shall I?" He disappeared back into the apartment, presumably to continue gathering information on the vics and the scene.

Danny gave Haylen the same mildly suspicious stare he gave everyone until he knew them better … and sometimes gave them even then. She hadn't changed much physically from what he remembered. Average built blonde of average height and straight hair that didn't do much for her face whether it was down or up in a ponytail. Didn't have a heavy hand with the make up and war paint either. Not bad looking he supposed, just not his type. She hadn't made a huge impression on him as he'd been in the middle of recovering from a bullet in his back that left him re-learning to walk and being a new father at the same time. Nevertheless he asked politely, "How ya doin'? Been a while."

Smiling, though Hawkes noticed it didn't quite reach her eyes she responded, "Let's get real. What you did know of me? You've probably forgotten most of it. And while you might have been nice while I was working as a part time underling at the lab I'm sure the way I left didn't endear me to too many. And what little bit of like you may have had left after that is going to go out the window as soon as you hear how this is going to play out."

Danny crossed his arms and just stared at the woman in front of him. He remembered that she'd been fairly intense … like she wanted to make her mark and prove herself as quickly as possible … but he didn't remember an attitude the size of the Empire State Building being part of it. Fed or no Fed Danny was not easily intimidated … and on the rare occasion that it might have happened he wasn't a man to let it show … so giving her look for look he told her, "You can ratchet back the 'tude Mizz FBI Agent Extraordinaire. Our office has never had a problem working with the Feds … only agents that think a little too much of themselves. As a matter of fact …"

Hawkes tried to subtly clear his throat to head off Danny's own dose of 'tude. That's when Jo showed up.

"Wellll, it is just so good to see the two of you getting along together so quickly," she trilled in a Southern accent so thick and teasing that both Danny and Hawkes instantly became very cautious. Too bad Haylen didn't have enough experience to know she too was skating on thin ice.

"Now see here Detective Danville …"

Still smiling Jo interrupted, "Becall isn't it? Yes? Good. I just got off the phone with your supervisor. Frank Morton … good man, worked closely with him on a number of cases … and he clarified a few things."

Haylen's face became carefully neutral. "You know Agent Morton?"

"Oh my yes. His wife Crystal as well. Their son and mine went to school together for a while. Anywho, about that clarification. You and your partner … Dick … hmmmm … Dick … ah yes, Dick Mayberry …"

Stiffly Haylen said, "He prefers Agent Mayberry … or Richard if he has given you permission to use his given name."

"I'm sure he does," Jo said grinning with her eyebrow quirked up in humor. And just to make sure that everyone understood Jo continued, "Ol' Dick in there, and yourself as the junior partner, are to be observers only. You may ask questions, make observations, report to Agent Morton to your little hearts' content … but you are not to interfere or hinder this investigation in any way. Apparently Frank would have preferred to send more experienced agents but with the situation developing on their end … you were all he had left."

Through gritted teeth Haylen gave a polite nod and said, "If you'll excuse me, Agent Mayberry and I will continue monitoring the investigation."

"Observe … the word is observe," Jo reminded her quickly retreating back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Haylen pulled her phone out of her pocket as she reached the end of the hallway and started to dial. All three wondered who she was calling and would have liked to have been a bug on the wall to hear what was said.

Hawkes was the first one to speak. "I have to hand it to her, she stood there and took it."

Danny, scratching his chin thoughtfully added, "That was an extra-large slice of the Danville Special. Any particular reason? Besides Mizz Becall's winning personality that is?"

Jo twisted her lips in cynical humor but answered Danny's query seriously. "The kind of attitude those two have is what causes so many problems between local and federal agencies when everyone should be working together. Too much territorialism and worry over who is going to get credit. It's worse when you have people involved that feel they have something to prove."

"Her?" Danny asked.

"Both of them. They're both young, talented, driven … according to their boss. Neither of them are hot heads or hot dogs for which they are lucky considering a few things. The problem for this lies in the fact that almost everyone in their office is senior to them by a decade. Even after three years they still get treated like they don't know much. It's meant they get left in the office a lot doing the grunt work." Jo shook her head. "They don't have near the field experience they need and should have been teamed with a senior agent, or at the very least an inter-agency liaison."

Danny had his doubts about using that as an excuse but Hawkes asked the question that turned the conversation back to the case at hand. "You mentioned a developing situation. Does it involve what is behind door number one?" he said referring to the apartment door with the crime scene tape around it.

"Yes," Jo said turning her neck this way and that for a moment to release some pent up stress. "Two vics, male and female. Originally thought to be husband and wife but has now been confirmed to be … not. The woman is the wife of a senior agent in the Virginia office and the male has been identified as a family friend."

"Affair? Husband find out?"

"Unknown."

"So is this about a little CYA in case the husband did it?"

"Well that's the problem. The senior agent in charge on the other end is currently in an apartment very similar to this one with a female vic that is the wife of the male vic we have at this scene, and the male vic on their end is the husband of the female vic here. Neither scene appears to be a murder/suicide so it has opened up a large can of worms." Jo walked the two men into the expensive rental unit so they could get their first view of the crime scene. Danny went to open his mouth to ask a question but was stopped when Jo handed him her phone. It only took a moment for Danny … and then Hawkes … to see what she'd wanted them to see. Both scenes were nearly identical except it was like looking at a negative exposure. What was black in one room was white in the other. The two sets of vics were also staged so that the female in their crime scene echoed the staged pose of the male in the other crime scene.

Danny shook his head in disgust. "This is just great. Another weird one. Linds is going to be disappointed she missed out which means I'm gonna catch it that when she gets back and finds out."

Agent Mayberry, after his own run-in with Jo, made his way cautiously over to the trio followed closely by Flack who was finding some enjoyment in dogging his heels and making him nervous.

Clearing his throat the agent said, "There's a lap top missing … or … or I mean there should be a lap top here and it hasn't been located yet. Belongs to the wife who is also a federal employee."

Hawkes asked, "Personal or work?"

"Er … personal. But under the circumstances the contents will need to be treated with caution. However, Agent Barton … he called and said that … uh herm … "

Haylen picked that moment to walk back in and ask, "Does Adam Ross still work at the lab?"

Jo nodded.

"Then give it to him. Encrypted or not, if there's anything of value on it he'll be able to find it. If it is eyes-only he'll be able to wipe it out of existence."

# # # # # #

Emi had her own laptop open googling away. She had a good idea of what she needed to do but wanted to make sure before she started in earnest. Once again she typed in "How to get old blood stains out of wood flooring." Making notes she wrote down steel wool, mineral spirits, baking soda, peroxide, mild detergent, floor wax, and a few other goodies. Lucky for her because of previous "projects" that turned messier than expected and her tendency to find herself in predicaments she had to clean up, she had everything she needed on hand. But first she had to get to the stains in question and that meant moving boxes of stuff full of things that were just as likely to overload her with memories as the stains themselves.

When her family had been murdered her uncle had moved into the house with his three children, one of whom was a college student who was only there every other weekend or so and preferred the sofa to trying to pretend the house would ever be a home to him. That had left an unused bedroom. Emi's uncle hadn't had the heart to do much more than pack up all of her family's personal belongings and shove them into the room that she had shared with the twins. The room was literally wall to wall boxes and she was still figuring out how her uncle, a man of girth if not height, had managed it. She felt like a mouse in a maze the first time she'd wiggled in there to try and turn chaos to order. She'd quickly wiggled back out after opening a box and finding her Da's work clothes and she hadn't been able to bring herself to go back in since despite the incessant prodding of her therapist.

But she'd decided she had avoided it as long as she could. The therapist had told her she needed to face what happened that night, face and accept the fact that her family was gone and not coming back and that she was alone in the world. None of her cousins had ever had anything to do with her beyond what was necessary; they considered her too weird and embarrassing to be connected to. The relationship was tenuous at best even before her uncle's death as they weren't cousins by birth or blood, but were actually her uncle's adopted children from his first marriage. He'd adopted them after his first wife left to keep them from going into foster care. Michael had barely tolerated them any better so Emi was at least able to say that the lack of communication wasn't solely on her part or her fault.

Emi still wasn't certain that she and the therapist were communicating on the same wave length. She'd accepted that her life always seemed to mimic the books called _A Series of Unfortunate Events_. Her life was one disaster after another starting with the beginning of it. Or maybe she was making too much of the predicaments that found her when she was younger. The therapist seemed to agree though … never mind. Enough of that. The past was the past, it was time to face what was in the present and deal with the way things are, not the way they were.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Adam loved the lab at night. He also loved the lab during the day but it was often at night that he did his best work. He was lucky that he worked swing shifts … mornings where he had to be there at four am, afternoons when it was it was closer to twelve, and then nights where he didn't get in until most everyone else had go home. He would be there as the lab became quieter and quieter around him since only a skeleton crew worked that shift to scrub the lab down and run and monitor tests that took longer than one shit to obtain. The quiet allowed him to really sink into the problem he was working on without having to worry about interruptions … especially being interrupted by people who would trigger a nervous response though those weren't nearly as bad as they used to be.

Tonight there was more activity than normal but it still didn't take away from the peace that Adam found sitting at his work station running the evidence as it came in. Science had always comforted him. He knew most people would find that strange but it had given him rules that were immutable and constant in a life where the rules and measures were constantly changing based on the whims of his father. Adam wished Emi still had her comfort zone like this; yesterday before Danny and Hawkes arrived he caught her staring sadly through the door of her "project room" looking at all of the empty areas that previously had been full almost to bursting. He knew that the slow pace that she was able to work was really hurting her … both her hand and emotionally as she struggled to accept she might never be able to work at the speed she had previously been able to provide those that commissioned her. He'd tried to get her to drop by the university even if it was just to say hello to Professor Armitage but the man was on an archaeological dig and wouldn't be back until the Spring semester. She acted too ashamed to just go to the lab and hang out a while.

He knew there was something else going on as well but he hesitated to push. He'd thought at first it bothered her about the money. It was to a certain extent but that was more hurt pride and worry than real anger. And she swore up and down it wasn't at him but at her own failing. He'd convinced her, albeit temporarily, that everything was fine and he was actually spending less now than he had when he was in an apartment and that didn't even include the money he saved on having to garage his car since his building hadn't had a parking area. He at least got a grin out of her by telling her he certainly ate better.

Then he had thought it was losing control of what was going on around her but that didn't seem to be it either. They'd wound up in a pillow fight over that discussion when Emi got angry when she thought he didn't understand how much she trusted him. He'd tried a few times more after that to find out what it was but it had only made her shut down. He'd come close to getting her to talk about it once but had only gotten a few words in before he had gotten an emergency call to come into the lab. She pointedly refused to respond to any of his efforts after that. He hoped she was talking to her therapist more than she was talking to him about whatever it was. The thought made him a little jealous but then again, Emi didn't know about everything in his past either. If he wasn't going full metal jacket disclosure then he couldn't ask her to, even if he wanted to.

There was a tap on the glass – an act that still managed to startle him when he was deep into a task – and after jumping and turning in his chair he saw Mac motioning for him to come out into the hall. He put the personal thoughts away and pulled the earbud out of his ear then strode out. However, he came to an abrupt halt when he saw the people coming his way. There was Danny and Hawkes, Jo who peeled off into her office, and two others. The guy he didn't recognize but Haylen Becall he certainly did. Luckily Danny hadn't sprung her on him but had texted he had incoming and what its name was. Danny could be a huge pain in the butt but he was also a good buddy to have.

Adam plastered a pleasantly vague look on his face to hide what he was really thinking while waiting beside Mac. Haylen was an old nemesis. It was all one sided of course and he could see it as soon as she left and he got rid of the feeling of being pressured and crowded but that didn't stop some of the old feelings from trying to climb out of the ol' memory vault. She'd managed to make him feel inadequate without even trying. She'd also been on her way to taking his position. He didn't care what anyone else thought or said on the subject. It didn't matter that Stella had arranged for Adam to keep his job when budget cuts had him three-quarters out the door. He knew that eventually with or without Mac's cooperation he would have been gone and she would have stayed. She wouldn't have crowed about it but she wouldn't have had any regrets if it had happened either. Lucky for both of them somehow the FBI had heard about the brilliant CSI-in-training and had recruited her. He wanted to ask a million questions about what she was doing back in the lab – in his lab – but he managed to stop actually asking them aloud.

"Adam? You're still here I see."

Adam just nodded and said, "Yep."

"Uh … still in the AV Lab?"

Adam just nodded again and said, "Yep. Among other things."

The others were watching the exchange with interest. In the past Adam would have been babbling after the first "yep" but the only thing that showed that he was a little agitated was that his hands were in his pockets and he was rocking a bit on the balls of his feet.

Danny had to do something or he was going to bust out laughing at the look on Haylen's face as she tried to recalibrate her assumptions of the man in front of her. She apparently didn't know quite what to make of the new and improved Adam.

With a typical New York attitude Danny said, "Yo, Adam … got something right up your alley man. Mac, you want to do the honors? Hawkes and I have a date with the cookies and dinner we didn't get earlier."

Adam told him, "Emi said dinner first, cookies later."

"Yeah, yeah," Danny said as he and Hawkes were already heading for the breakroom. "Nutritional genius … the girl harps on that. I'm gonna start calling her Nonna if she keeps it up."

Adam grinned and shrugged. "Hey, it's your life. But word of warning … she pinches."

Danny and Hawkes both laughed as they took off for the breakroom and their long overdue meal.

Just saying Emi's name was like stroking a worry stone and Adam relaxed and then chuckled, having almost forgotten Haylen completely which began to irk her as much as the tactic had irked Kendall before her. "What did they bring us Boss?"

Mac, well aware of what was going on said, "Our female vic has a laptop and apparently these two can't break into it even with the encryption key that should have worked."

"Oh, someone thinks they're a playa," Adam said with interest spotting the ultra-thin, high-end cross between a laptop and a tablet. It hadn't been on the market long. He'd test driven one at a Tech Convention and had been very impressed. Since the price had been well out of his range at the time he'd simply built an Adam Ross version … no name brand but it had all of the same bells and whistles and a few more besides. Of course he wasn't going to brag about it or anything … but he gave himself a "what'suuup" every time he booted that baby up at home.

And speaking of booting up Adam looked eagerly at the large, opaque evidence bag and said, "Hand it over and let the games begin dude … wait! I mean Boss. Sorry … had some cookies with my coffee so I'm jagging on sugar … so … no disrespect … Boss … Mac … and I'm going to stop talking now."

Mac fought to keep the smile off of his face. It really was nice to have at least some of the old Adam back.

# # # # # #

Two hours later Haylen was still fuming though not so anyone could tell. She and Mayberry had started to follow Adam into the lab when Detective Taylor had stopped them and said to leave Adam alone.

"Ah yes," Haylen said before turning to Mayberry to explain. "Adam is easily unnerved when he is being monitored."

That's when Adam had snorted, as if the idea was ridiculous, and had said, "Having two feds breathing down my neck like that will get the work done faster is only guaranteed to slow me down. Nothing but stupid questions that waste my time. You wanna sit there and be quiet then no biggie. Grab a chair and hit the corner or something. Just running your mouth and expecting an answer is an interruption that I don't need if I'm to get this to Mac asap."

The fact that Detective Taylor looked at Adam with mild surprise that wasn't the least bit disapproving hadn't help Haylen's composure either. She might have to put up with this crap in her office but she shouldn't have to deal with it here, a place she outgrew almost as soon as she had arrived. She was a trained FBI agent. She had commendations in her folder for completion of all of her training with top scores. She was going to be taken seriously … or else. She was not going to just sit in this glass enclosed breakroom be treated like she was in detention.

And there goes Ross running to Mac's office. What is that all about?

* * *

 **Author's note** : Got this chapter written and it begged to be posted so what's a writer to do but give in or risk the threat of writer's block? LOL. Thanks to all those that have R&R'd. Definitely gives me motivation. And thank you to those that have chosen to follow the story, that's much appreciated as well.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Haylen waited to be called in by Detective Taylor so he would tell her what was found but instead she saw Jo Danville pick up her phone, nod, and then walk over to Mac's office.

"Think we should …" Mayberry asked hesitantly.

"No," snapped Haylen. "We are not dogs for them to call to heel. Let them hash it out and realize they will have to give us the information whether they want to or not. Then we'll graciously approach them at our chosen time. It's the only way they are going to learn who is really in charge."

"You sure about that approach Becall? You heard what Morton said, we are to treat Jo Danville and her people …"

"Did I say we were going to be anything less than polite? No I did not. But there is no way this office is going to be able to break this case without our help. And I am going to make sure we get the credit. I don't know about you but I'm tired of the constant crap we catch from Johnson and Littleton. This case is going to bring us the recognition we need to take it to the next level."

Mayberry didn't look convinced but he was willing to give it a shot this once. Secretly he thought she'd come on way too strong in the beginning and had put some people's backs up that could have been useful if they had been handled differently. He preferred getting sources to making enemies.

In Mac's office the agents weren't even a topic of conversation.

"Adam, tell Jo what you found thus far."

Adam nodded. "The encryption was pretty deep but standard stuff. No imagination. Even if their encryption key hadn't accessed the hard drive it shouldn't have been that big of a deal to break in. I know Haylen wasn't an AV geek but no one should have assumed that just because their key didn't work that it was some freakin' big deal. Anyway …"

"There's more?" Jo asked after storing the previous information for further consideration.

"Yeah. And what was used to encode the documents was way old school. Get this … it was Leetspeak."

Jo looked at Mac and Mac looked at Adam. "Leetspeak?"

"Oh geez, c'mon! Leetspeak? From the 80s? No?!" Adam shook his head and thought maybe it was after their time but for once he kept the thought behind his teeth because he thought they might be sensitive about their age or something. "Leet or Leetspeak or Elitespeek … it's a type of alpha-numeric code. Ok … uh here's a super simple example … when you were a kid playing with a calculator and typed in 7734 … what did everyone get?"

Jo rolled her eyes. "Ok … turn the calculator upside down and you get something that looks like the word 'hell'. I caught my son doing in once and he thought he was gonna be so dead at my hands. I just wanted to know what they were doing letting fourth graders use calculators in math class."

"Exactly," Adam said laughing at Jo's description. "Anyway, Leetspeak is only slightly more complicated than that. You use 3 for e, $ for s, 1 for l, for a, and so on. Chatspeak and the stuff you see in your average teenagers texting conversations is more complicated than what is on that computer."

Jo asked, "Are there documents on the hard drive that need to be redacted?"

Adam's cheeks got a little red and he said, "Not exactly but no one under the age of 18 should be viewing those files. It's … I don't know … they're formatted like screenplays buuuuut, they're pretty graphic. To be honest," he said trying not to laugh guiltily. "They remind me of the porn the guys at college would bring in. Sound effects and all. And I'll let you guys explain that to our … er … guests."

Jo got a wicked look on her face and said, "You sure you don't want the privilege?"

"No … way. I am not going there. Uh uh." He stood up and slowly backed out of the office still slightly red in the face and trying not to laugh.

Jo turned to Mac and said, "You know? He's kinda fun now that I'm not scaring the bejeebers out of him every time I turn around."

Mac smiled and said, "Funny thing … Adam said that you were fun now that he wasn't scared of some file or other you had on him."

"Oh my Lord … I never should have tried to push his buttons with that the first day I arrived." Jo smiled and then did her own scooting out the door. "I'll … uh … just tell the nice little agents that you're ready to speak to them shall I?"

Mac sighed and once again said, "Being the boss is not always the joy people seem to think it is."

Jo made good on her own escape with a laugh.

# # # # # #

To say that Haylen at least was not pleased at appearing so inexperienced and foolish would be an understatement. Still, she managed to maintain her composure and exit the building to head to the cheap-ish hotel that had been reserved for them without anyone realizing just how angry she was.

What Haylen didn't realize was that both she and Mayberry weren't just observing the case but were being observed. Jo Danville had received a special request from her old friend Morton. He'd asked her to keep an eye on his "infant agents" and if possible guide them along until he could free up one of his own people to come ride herd on them. Jo wasn't thrilled but Frank was a good friend and it didn't hurt that he would owe her in return. Thus far she'd seen potential in both agents but she'd also seen a lot of inexperience and attitude that would need to be dealt with before it became a bad habit, if it wasn't already. Undoubtedly they were frustrated but that's the lumps you take when you are at the bottom of the pecking order. She suspected much of their frustration came from not realizing that just because their scores were good didn't mean that everything involved with the job was going to be just as easy. People that had gotten where they were at by hard work and hard knocks were not going to be keen to make it easy on a newbie just because they were smart or likable, in fact just the opposite was likely to be the case.

Mac had finally headed home and on his way out had all but ordered the remainder of the team that had still been present to do the same. Adam was so tired that he had considered crashing in a couple of chairs at the lab but when he tried to call Emi he got no response. It was almost one in the morning so the possibility did exist that she was asleep. On the other hand Emi was a very light sleeper and had never failed to answer his middle of the night calls in the past.

Suddenly not as tired as he'd thought he was he grabbed his messenger bag and got to his car. Even that time of night NYC traffic was heavy and it took until he was almost home … a word he still relished saying … before it thinned out.

There were no lights on in the house and the windows were closed so he was quiet about opening the door and going in. Using his cell phone as a flashlight he blinked when he saw boxes lined up along the first floor hallway. That's when he heard it … crying coming from the back of the house.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note** : Once again I want to thank everyone for reading, reviewing, and/or following. As so many other authors have said, those stats and reviews can just brighten an otherwise blah day.

Now for the rest of it. I'm about to post a big rush of chapters. One, because I'm not sure what my schedule is going to look like between now and Christmas; I could be incredibly busy and barely have time to breathe or I could have so much time on my hands that trouble is bound to happen. I just don't want to leave everyone hanging in case it is the former rather than the later. Two, this next group of chapters kind of melt so much into each other that I found no good way to break them apart. Even posting one per day it felt too much like the story was stuttering. Lastly, they have a lot of backstory that is necessary for the plot of this "episode" as well as the next one and possibly the one after that if the baddie just doesn't want to get caught. We'll see. The writing fairy can be contrary and while I may want to take the characters one direction, the writing fairy could very well get ornery and take them in a different one. LOL. If you'll just hold on for the emotional angsty stuff we'll get back to the case in short order. The two are merely intertwined enough that the characters have to deal with their part of it.

So without further ado ... and please continue to R&R please.

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

Adam carefully picked his way in that direction. There was shredded and balled up newspaper littering the floor everywhere he looked. He followed the sound of quiet crying and realized there was muttering mixed in that sounded like Emi's faint Irish lilt.

"Geez Uncle Johnny, couldn't you have at least thought about what you were doing before just throwing everything in boxes however it would fit? Did you really need to leave absolutely everything for me to deal with a dozen years later? C'mon would it have been that hard to at least throw the bloody clothes in the washer or something? Or the trash bin … that would have been good. Then it wouldn't be tearing a hole in me trying to decide whether to keep them or not. Yeah, you coulda helped me out with that even if you couldn't have lived long enough to at least let me have some family around when I busted out of the group home. I mean I know I was a bad kid but did I really deserve to grow up and have to deal with this?!"

The crying and interspersed muttering continued and as Adam came around the corner into the dark kitchen he saw Emi standing at the sink in front of the window using the old fashion scrub board she used to wash out what she called her "delicates" to try and clean something that looked like rags.

Having been on the wrong end of catching Emi off guard enough times to make him wary, Adam stood in the door way and knocked on the wall. Emi nearly came out of her skin trying to look around for what created the noise. Water and suds splashed several surfaces including Emi herself.

"I'm home," Adam said cautiously and she used his words to locate him in the dark.

She immediately started to try and scrub away the evidence of tears and suds from her cheeks but he came forward and gently pushed her hands away. "Aw Emi," he said using a napkin he'd grabbed from the table as he'd passed by. "You're breaking my heart. Didn't I ask you not to try and do the attic until I could help?"

Trying to step away from Adam albeit unsuccessfully due to his refusal to be pushed away Emi answered, "I didn't break my promise and it's not nice that you think I would. I didn't even open the attic door."

"Then what is all this stuff and why are you crying in the dark?"

"I … I think I blew a fuse. I'm pretty sure I did. I don't know."

Adam slowly realized that Emi was out of it and wondered if she was talking about the lights or herself … she occasionally talked about her brain like it had fuses as well which was weird if you thought about it but seemed perfectly sane when Emi drew that comparison. When he flashed his light over what she'd been doing he saw what she was trying to wash was an old football jersey. He started to pick it up but she snapped, "That's my job."

Trying not to be hurt because he knew that hadn't been Emi's intent he told her, "OK, not really understanding what is going on here. Gonna need to explain it to me."

It took a moment but Emi started to shudder so hard that she startled him and he grabbed her to keep her from sliding sideways. Finally she muttered, "Blast zone."

"Huh?"

"You know me. Disaster. Gremlins. Bad. Didn't want you to be in the blast zone in case. Won't ever treat you like that again. Never. Ever. God. I have to do this myself. No one can be around. No one else would. Only you're brave enough and I'm a lot of things, most of them useless, but I at least know that you don't deserve that."

"Uh …"

"The bedroom. The one with all the boxes. It's my old bedroom. He just boxed all of our stuff up and shoved it in there. Too much. God too much."

Emi grabbed her head and her knees finally buckled.

"Ok, that's enough. Did you have something to drink? You didn't need to do that Emi. Whatever is going on you are not alone. And it's late and you're just topped off. And something else though I'm not sure what. I'm putting you to bed. Putting us both to bed. We'll get some sleep and this won't be so crazy to deal with."

That's when Emi giggled and said, "Crazy. That's the right word for me. I want to be normal. I'm trying Adam, I really am but it's not working. All it makes me feel is even crazier."

Adam shook his head, real concern that this might just be something he couldn't deal with on his own starting to filter into his thoughts. He finally got Emi up the stairs – yep, she'd blown a fuse and he'd need to take care of it but not right then. He even had to undress her because she was acting almost drunk … disoriented, uncoordinated, out of it. He had her tucked in bed wearing one of his t-shirts because that is all he could find in the dark and bent over to pick up her jeans when he heard something rattle.

Emi tended to stuff her pockets with a weird assortment of items and he'd learned to check before dumping anything into the clothes hamper but this time when he reached in all he pulled out was a prescription pill bottle. He looked over at Emi and she was staring off into space though he felt that she was at least somewhat aware of what he was doing. He used his phone light to look at the bottle and was shocked to see that it was a recent prescription made out to her by her therapist and that it was for diazepam.

"Emi? I need to ask you something. Can you hear me?"

She sighed. "It was supposed to help me be normal."

Getting a bad feeling he clarified, "The pills?"

"Yeah. She said … she said that it was 'patently obvious' that since I couldn't seem to follow the rules she set for me to behave by that I'd need some help. I tried to be normal once before – well it wasn't really my choice, they made me – and it was a disaster. I thought to try it one more time. I just wanted to give you normal."

Carefully Adam sat on the side of the bed and asked, "What do you mean … normal?"

"I never want to treat you bad Adam. Never. You don't deserve the mess that I make of things and … and … _you're_ trying and it works. You're still you only you are a more comfortable you. In your skin. You feel better, I can tell. You never seem to need to pop off. I … I wanted it for me too … for me to be for you too but I'm used to living with the mess inside my head. It never was a problem with Reni and Gary because they weren't exactly normal either." Adam heard her give a watery chuckle before adding, "You deserve better. You need me to be better. I can't ever treat you like I did at the hospital. I'd rather die …"

Adam snapped and grabbed her up into his arms proving he was just as capable of "popping off" as Emi said he didn't these days. "Don't … ever … say … that … again. I don't know what is going on right now but what you just said is non-negotiable. I will not lose you Emi … will not. Got it?"

Emi clung to him like he was the only stable thing in the middle of a hurricane. Hurricane Emi … forever making a mess of whatever she touches everywhere she goes.

She must have mumbled it aloud without meaning to because Adam said, "That's not true. So my life gets a little messy on occasion. It's a small price to pay for the rest of what it's like. You put me back together … or helped me to put me back together. Amounts to the same thing. And I like … I love … the way you are, the person you are. What did I ever do to make you think that I didn't?"

"Doesn't matter," she slurred. "I know you need better … absolutely deserve better. I'm so useless. For two months you had to do everything because I couldn't even get down the freaking stairs without help. Could barely … you had to help me with everything, some of it embarrassing beyond belief. I couldn't even wash my own hair for pity sake."

Trying to tease her a little he murmured, "I like washing your hair. It … uh … made the ground rules a little hard to follow but then again the torture of it was … hmmmm …"

Not having any of it Emi snorted. "Yeah right. Had to be just thrilling for you to work all day and more at the lab and then have to come home, do all the housework, most of the cooking, the laundry … all of it … then babysit me too. You're still having to do it. And I can barely work so not only are you having to do most everything around the house, you're paying the bills too."

Shaking his head Adam reminded her, "We're sharing the bills and you know it. We pooled our pay out money from where they bought out our leases. You just turned it over to me and walked away from it. Do you understand how that made me feel? How that told me how much you trust me? Yeah, I write the checks, so what? The money got there from both of us. We've been over this before. So you can't work as much as you used to but c'mon Emi, you were hurt and you're still recovering. It makes me feel good … you know … as a man … to know I can do this for you … for us."

"It's been over two months! That's long enough to wallow in self-pity!"

That last bit of anger seemed to take the little bit of energy Emi had and she was barely responsive to his other questions. Instead he laid her down and thought for a moment. Something just wasn't right. Not right at all.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

First call he made was to Emi's therapist but that was a shock. The answering service took his emergency call but then called back ten minutes later to say that all three numbers they had for the doctor had been disconnected. They'd leave a note for management to address in the morning but for now there was nothing they could do. It was an emergency they told him to call 911.

Adam immediately got a very bad feeling, worse than he'd already had. Next call he made was to Sheldon Hawkes.

Hawkes wasn't exactly grumpy at having been woken not long after getting to sleep but he wasn't exactly cheerful about it either. Adam brushed that aside and spoke hurriedly. "Hawkes, I'm sorry to bother you but … I'm pretty sure I have an emergency here."

Adam's tone immediately brought the man to full wakefulness since he had never quite lost that skill from his days practicing medicine at the hospital. "You ok?"

"It's not me. It's Emi. When I came home she was … out of it. Long story short I found some pills … prescribed pills from her therapist."

"Emi is seeing a therapist?"

"Hawkes please, just let me get through this. Some stuff … look we both have issues and we are both just trying to be … better. Figure out a way to handle stuff better."

"Ok," Hawkes said using a calming voice, realizing that Adam was revealing information that most others probably wouldn't know and that was a private matter he likely never intended others to know. "So you found some prescribed pills. I take it Emi hadn't told you about them."

"No she hadn't. I've sensed that something was going on with her. But … right now … look the prescription is for diazepam and the dose is pretty damn high. Not cool Hawkes, not cool at all. So I give her therapist an emergency call and … and … the answering service can't even reach her and say all the numbers they have for her have been disconnected. What the hell Hawkes? Just what the hell?"

"You need to calm down Adam. Can Emi tell you how long she has been taking the prescription?"

Trying to remain calm wasn't easy. Adam ran his free hand through his hair. "I haven't asked her. Man she is like really out of it. But it couldn't have been for more than a day or two because the prescription is dated the same day as her last appointment which was day before yesterday. And she's been preoccupied, but nothing like she is right now. I thought at first she'd like had a beer or something."

Emi's intolerance for alcohol was well known amongst their close friends. Mostly it was a joke that everyone, including Emi, could laugh about; but, Adam also didn't want anyone making her uncomfortable or pressuring her to even take a sip since she wasn't always sure how it was going to affect her. Since alcohol and diazepam were both depressants it only made sense to Adam that if one affected her adversely then the other would as well.

"Adam just how out of it is Emi?"

Rather than try and explain Adam put his phone on speaker and asked, "Emi, do you understand what I'm doing?"

In a voice that sounded suspiciously like she was near tears once again she answered, "Calling Hawkes. Somebody needs to protect you from my crazy. God, just one more of my messes you have to clean up."

Hawkes started to clue into what Adam had meant. He asked, "Emi? Can you hear me?"

"Sure Hawkes. You gotta tell Adam to just … just … I … uh …"

"Emi? How many of the pills did you take?"

"One."

"One? Are you sure? How many have you taken overall?"

"One. Hadn't decided whether to take them even though Dr. Carrolls told me to start taking them right away. Trying to be normal nearly killed me when they first put me in the group home … but I gotta clean up, can't keep being a burden. If I'm normal then maybe I can get a regular job and Adam won't have to do it all. So … I decided tonight. But I guess I'm just not capable of it. I ruin everything."

Adam grabbed the phone up. "You see what I mean?! She keeps going on about being normal and all this other crap. Do I need to take her to the ER?"

Hawkes was in a quandary. Taking Emi to the ER might be what most would do under the circumstances but Hawkes knew that what would happen to Emi once she got there would probably be counterproductive for her … and Adam.

"Adam, I'm coming over. We'll monitor Emi tonight and hopefully if she did only take the one pill the effects will wear off. This next I'm going to tell you as a friend and not as a doctor. If Emi gets taken to the hospital they'll probably order a psyche eval, possibly even involuntarily commit her. Personally, I don't think that would be a very good place for her. But … I can't … dammit …"

Adam immediately regretted calling him. "Hawkes, you don't need to get involved. I'm sorry I called man and put you in this position."

"Hey, that's not what I mean. It's just I know what will happen to her in the ER. It's standard procedure. But Emi isn't a standard person. There's extenuating circumstances that others might not recognize in the short term which could complicate her long term. And we need to get to the bottom of this MIA therapist as well."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The next morning Emi was extremely subdued. It was leftover reaction to the prescription but it was also painful embarrassment. Both men had finally gotten a few hours of sleep but it was obvious they were running on fumes as all three sat at the kitchen table. Adam had cooked omelets though Emi could only take a bite or two of what she had been encouraged to eat. Neither Adam nor Hawkes would allow her to completely retreat and shut down though it was a running battle.

"We both gotta go to work," Adam told Hawkes. "But I'm not leaving Emi here at the house by herself until I figure out what is going on. I'm bringing her to the lab with me and I'll explain to Mac as soon as I see him. I … I'm pretty sure he'll understand … or at least he'll try. And if the lab is out maybe … maybe he'll have a better idea. Mac will know what to do."

"I'm in the room you know," Emi said with a bit of her old spark.

Adam turned to her and said, "So call me overprotective or whatever you want. You're still coming with. Understand?"

For about two seconds Emi wanted to light up like bottle rocket but the desire faded. The desire for most anything faded. She was back from outer space enough for part of her to realize it had to be residual effects from the pills but she still had enough in her system that she leaned more towards self-blame than for interpreting what happened as a medication intolerance issue.

Hawkes agreed with Adam. "He's right Emi. Until we're sure the meds are out of your system completely you need someone close by."

In disgust she said, "A babysitter. And in the middle of all of your friends to see me acting like an idiot. God, when did I lose the ability to take care of myself?!"

Adam reminded her, "You haven't. That's left over crap from the pills talking which just makes me more determined you aren't going to be alone for a while. Look, you have that commission to do some forensic sketches for the museum based on those 19th century police reports. That … sorta fits in a crime lab. You can sit at Lindsey's desk and … you know … do your stuff. No one has to know why and it's not any of their business. I'll tell Mac and Jo but we don't have to say anything to anyone else though Danny will probably wind up knowing because … well he's Danny."

"Fine," she replied but without any enthusiasm.

# # # # # # #

Several hours later Adam was nursing a mug of strong black coffee in the breakroom watching Emi through the glass walls as she studiously worked away at Lindsey's desk. Adam knew she was working and not doodling aimlessly like she had been when she first sat down. He could tell by how relaxed her face was. Sketching always seemed to pull her in and relax her. She loved sculpting and painting but it caused her to be almost manic in focus, sketching didn't take so much out of her and actually seemed to give something back.

Hawkes casually strolled in and asked, "Everything good?"

Adam said thoughtfully, "It looks like it."

"But?"

"Emi is really good at not talking about stuff. And trying to force her to talk usually winds up creating the opposite effect as what you were going for."

Hawkes gave a small grin. "Ah, so it's a pot meet kettle situation."

It took Adam a few moments to catch what he'd said. "Ha! You're a funny man Hawkes."

"Seriously Adam, the two of you are so much alike in some areas that you were bound to have some issues. But, luckily it also appears to give you each insight about the other. Trust your instincts, they've been good so far. Have you found anything else out about the therapist?"

"Mac told me to back off and let him do it. I don't know if it is because he didn't believe me or if he thought I was exaggerating or just what."

"Don't read something into it that isn't there. Mac may just have channels of investigation that will keep this quiet. And also, if it comes down to malpractice having a third party running this down won't hurt either."

Still angry and upset he couldn't figure out the reason Adam said, "I just can't believe the dosage that woman prescribed. Basic chemistry alone told me something was off about it."

"I wonder if Emi questioned it."

Adam sighed and said, "Emi's smart … brilliant … but she doesn't know everything. Basic chemistry sure. And she can get up to … er … some of the pranks she used to pull in chem lab would even make Danny's hair stand on end. But reconstruction is her forte, not the stuff we do here in the lab on a daily basis. And she hasn't been part of a criminal investigation in a long time …"

It was that last statement that Haylen Bacall walked in to hear. "The lab bringing in outside help to work on this case? Why weren't we informed?"

Adam turned his head to look at her and said, "If Mac or Jo thinks you need to know something they'll tell you."

"Now look here …"

With a very tired sigh Adam said, "Haylen, whatever you think you know you don't. You're making assumptions. And right now I don't have time to straighten you out. Stop listening to other people's conversations and putting two and two together to make five."

Kendall decided to complicate the day by sticking her own head in the door and asking, "Adam? You got a sec? There's some results you should look at."

There was a look in Kendall's eyes that said, you need to see this right the frell now and I to know what's going on. Kendall wasn't the pain she had been in the past but Adam worried that she could create a situation so he nodded to Haylen and then followed Kendall to an empty lab area.

"Geez, what is going on Adam?!"

"I don't know what …"

"Don't. You're a lot of things but a good liar isn't one of them. Not to mention I think we are beyond that point after all this time. I see Emi coming in looking like a zombie, you stressed to the max, Hawkes is in on it, you had some kind of disturbing conversation with Mac and Jo, Messer is dancing around trying to figure out what is up … do I need to continue?" At Adam's silence she dropped her bombshell. "That drug you were testing? It was diazepam laced with Cipro. The amount in one pill … guaranteed to … geez, tell me that Emi wasn't taking that crap."

Adam just looked at her while his mind raced through all of his chemistry coursework. Cipro was contraindicated for use with diazepam. The Cipro made it difficult for the body to metabolize out the diazepam and at that dosage an overdose would have been the likeliest outcome after only a couple of pills.

Kendall swore softly and said, "I don't know what it going on and I don't suppose at this point I have any right to ask but … I owe Emi and I gotta tell you, there is no way she could have, or would have, done this to herself. No way. Aside from the fact the pills themselves don't give any indication they're mixed, Doug," she said referring to her new love interest Dr. Bonham whom Emi had introduced to Kendall as a joke. "Doug has told me that Emi is really careful and can't work in some of the labs at the university without PPE on because she's had some really strange reactions to accidental exposures. It's why Professor Armitage converted an old 'clean lab' over for her use when she is on site."

Adam looked at Kendall sharply before snapping, "I never said I thought this was Emi's fault."

"Good because right now that's the last thing Emi needs to be thinking. Not with Miss Perfect Bacall hanging around."

"What's Haylen got to do with this?"

"Besides the fact that she's getting nosey about who Emi is and might just use her to push some of your buttons since nothing else she's tried this morning has worked?"

Accepting the warning as it was meant Adam snarled, "Crap."

"Yeah. Just keep the conversation around Emi down before someone makes out like you and Haylen used to have a thing."

Adam made a horrible face. "We didn't have … er … a thing."

"Well people like to make stuff up too and everyone thought you and she were into each other back then. I thought you two were into each other."

Adam thought he was going to be sick. "No way."

"Yes way and if Emi is still … whatever she has been since the kidnapping … Haylen … look, putting myself in Emi's place I would feel threatened."

"What?!" Adam almost yelped. "No. Uh uh. Emi knows better than that!"

Kendall rolled her eyes. "You are such a guy. Just give Emi a little extra … appreciation or whatever it is you two have going. I wouldn't put it passed the jack booted blonde to try and use Emi against all of us. She's looking for something to go ballistic over."

Both Adam and Kendall jumped when a voice said, "You know it would be really cool if people would stop being so nice and doing things for my own good."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Emi looked at Kendall but her words were all for Adam. "I've said it before and will without a doubt have reason to say it again … I'm a flake but there are things even I won't do or think. I trust Adam absolutely. He's never given me reason not to. And even if something had gone on between that woman and him, it's in the past and is not going on now."

Kendall almost laughed at the sigh of relief from Adam. She turned to look at him and merely said, "You're luckier than you deserve. If it had been me I would have milked it a little more, maybe a lot more." She left the lab after putting the results print out in his hand.

Emi arched her brow and asked, "What's that?"

Nervous Adam told her, "Don't get mad."

"Don't want to right now so just … explain it to me."

"I tested one of those pills. They weren't just diazepam; they were mixed with Cipro. Who knows that you're allergic to it?" Not even Kendall had been privy to that bit of information and Adam hadn't been inclined to enlighten her.

"Cipro?" Emi said blinking like she hadn't expected what Adam had revealed. "I … well … a lot of people I guess. I don't keep track. People in the hospital, the other doctors that I've been seeing, you … I don't know … a lot. I used to wear one of those medi-alert bracelets until Reni accidentally broke the chain."

"What about the therapist?"

"I … it … it didn't come up. I don't think. I mean not specifically. Wow … why didn't I …?" Emi looked at Adam in alarm. "Why didn't I wonder why she didn't ask before I took the prescription?"

"Emi there are a lot of weird things going on. Don't worry, I'll get to the bottom of it but I … I can't just …"

"You have this case. I get it Adam, and I wouldn't let you drop everything to focus on this even if you thought about it." That's when she focused on something over his shoulder. "What? Where … where did you … get … those?"

"Get what?"

She walked up to one of the glass walls and was looking at the recent crime scene photos while Danny and Jo discussed them.

She took off and all Adam could do was try to keep up. He tried to slow her down but she stormed up to the pictures and asked, "Where did you get these?!"

Startling everyone in the room it was Danny who said, "Whoa Emi, you shouldn't be in here."

Ignoring Danny Emi looked straight at Jo and asked, "Did you ask for these?! What I told you was in confidence!"

Jo gave her a surprised look before a suspicion slowly dawned on her face. Mac saw the commotion and came into the lab to see what was going on. He didn't approve of distractions. Seeing Emi there he wasn't happy, Adam had agreed to some stipulations when he said that Emi could stay for the day. His displeasure increased as Bacall and Mayberry came into room as well. Emi and Jo however were silently communicating until Haylen demanded to know, "Who's this … woman?"

Emi turned a cold gaze on her and said, "I'll deal with you in a moment." She turned back to Jo and asked, "You didn't have anything to do with this?"

"These are the photos from last night's crime scene. And these are from the matching crime scene in Virginia."

Emi noticeably paled. "No."

"Yes."

Emi searched her many pockets until she found her cell phone; as she walked out of the lab she started dialing. Adam followed her with his eyes but said, "You know what's going on Jo."

Jo cleared her throat and said, "Some of it."

"What is it?"

"I … it isn't my story to tell Adam. Although … if what Emi obviously thinks is in anyway correct …"

Mac all but growled, "I'm not appreciating the mystery. I want some answers."

Haylen said, "So do I."

Jo looked at Haylen and said mildly, "You may or may not get them. Depends on whether Morton thinks you need to know." Now watching Emi herself Jo said, "Adam … go to her. She's gonna need you."

Adam had already been about to put that thought into action and her words merely gave him more motivation.

It didn't take long for him to catch up with a very agitated Emi. He caught the tail end of the phone conversation she'd been in. "Six months ago? In the line of duty? Who took over his case files? Can you put me through to his line please?"

Adam didn't even have to wonder whether he should approach her because Emi sought him out. First she walked into him, literally, and then turned so that her back was leaning against him. With her free hand she drug his arm around her and then buried her hand under his. She was shivering like she was cold and Adam got the sense that she wasn't even paying attention to how it looked; she was all but hiding from everything around her, trying to use him as a shield. Adam was more than happy to be that for her.

 _"_ _Hello? This is Agent Matt Carson. To whom am I speaking?"_

"Agent Carson, maybe you'll remember me but maybe not. This is Dr. Emerald O'Ryan … from … from the Mortensen Case five years ago."

After a brief pause the man said, _"Of course I remember you Emerald. I was told you were looking for Jack. I'm sorry you had to find out that way."_

"Yeah, it sucks. He was a good man. And I'm going to sound really callous right now but I can't deal with his death and what is going on right now at the same time. I just got a glimpse of some crime scene photos so similar to what was taken during the Mortensen Case that at first I thought … god I really thought they were the same photos."

 _"_ _Similar pictures?"_

"No, not just similar … nearly identical. The ying yang room set ups, the poses, the apparent CODs … identical except these were taken last night. One set here in NYC and one set down in Virginia. I don't know more details than that but I need you to …" Emi stopped to draw a breath. "Look, can you just make sure she is still locked up? Please?"

All business now that the call was explained Agent Carson said, _"Of course. I'll call you right back. This number a good one?"_

"Yes. Just … hurry. Ok?"

Emi realized she was practically trying to crawl into Adam and tried to step back but Adam wasn't having any of it and held her where she'd put herself to start with. She looked around and saw everyone in the various the labs studiously trying to ignore them through all of the glass walls and she wanted to melt into the floor. "God Adam, what have I gotten you into," she whispered.

Carefully he said, "Don't know if you won't explain it."

"It's not that I won't, it's … it's that I can't … not yet. God. Can my life get any screwier? I thought this freakton of crap was over and done and locked behind concrete walls and steel doors. And now I'm dragging you into it. What have I done to you now?!"

"Whatever it is you do to me Emi, I … I love it … and I love you. But you have to trust me. You gotta explain. You can't go hiding things away. Things aren't going to work … we aren't going to work … if you handle things that way."

Emi nearly laughed hysterically but caught it just in time. She kept praying, "Don't let me have a meltdown. Please God just this once don't let me have a meltdown."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Just when Adam was going to try and push for a few answers Emi's phone rang.

"She is?" Emi nearly melted in relief.

 _"_ _Federal prison for the criminally insane, rarely allowed outside of her cell, only very limited contact with others and by approved personnel only. No phone or mail privileges. Whoever you've got evidence of, it isn't her. I've already ordered that all of her contacts be reviewed, approved or not. If anything turns up I'll … actually, who is the lead on the case?"_

"Detective Mac Taylor is head of the crime lab here but … but I haven't … I just saw the photos Matt. I don't even have permission to …"

 _"_ _Relax Emerald. Under the circumstances I don't see any way around giving some information out. Just use your best judgment and be careful. If they want more have Detective Taylor call me."_

"Uh … I … I had to explain some things to a Detective Jo Danville a couple of months ago. I was … er … injured during a case and … she's former FBI herself though she now works here … uh … the NYC crime lab."

 _"_ _As it happens I know Jo … DC office at the time. Little left field but a dependable agent. Tell her to give me a call and we'll work something out. But … keep me in the loop either way. I'll add the copycat – if that is what it is – to our database here."_

In the other room Haylen chose that moment to make her move to wrest control of the situation. Looking at Mac she said, "This lab has a problem with … irregularities. I see fraternization is still permitted."

Mac gave Haylen stare for stare. "You are speaking out of turn … Agent Bacall, and about things you know nothing about."

"I don't believe I am … Detective Taylor. It was a problem when I worked in the lab, and from what I'm seeing it is still a problem. The case has already been jeopardized by having an unauthorized …

Emi and Adam walked in to request a meeting with Mac and heard the last bit of Haylen's blossoming diatribe. Emi – through the force of the adrenaline that was now coursing through her system – was fully over the effects of the pill she'd taken. Unfortunately for her, Haylen didn't know what that meant.

"Agent Bacall, there's things about this case you have no way of knowing. You need to back off until your superiors give you instructions. As for my relationship with Adam Ross, that's none of your damn business. You don't even know who I am."

"Actually I do. I made a few inquiries when you were acting so suspiciously this morning. Dr. Emerald O'Ryan. Somehow blackmailed the people at Syracuse into giving you a Ph.D. You floundered around doing nothing but getting into trouble then somehow after doing a little work on the Turcell case you used that to make a name for yourself. Found the pressure too great and now you do piece work to pay the bills, although you've dropped out of sight the last couple of months. Though apparently since your career has crashed and burned you're manipulating poor Adam and living on his dime now."

Everyone, including Mac, prepared for an explosion but Emi chose not to give them one … yet. She even calmed Adam when he was about to blow a gasket. Emi could feel Adam's temper heating up and that would be a bad thing for him to do here at work, for several reasons. She was not going to let anyone but her draw Agent Bacall's fire. As calmly as Emi was capable of at that point she said, "Well, you may think you know a few things but someone is screwing around with the facts if that is all they gave you. My guess is you couldn't get much because they wouldn't give you much and you are just fishing for what you want to find. As for the rest of it I am at least now free to say this case may have something to do with another serial case from five years ago that happened shortly before I was asked to work on the Turcell case; that incident was how I got involved with the prosecution against Turcell actually."

"You expect me to seriously believe that load of nonsense? Five years ago? What were you … twelve?"

"No, eighteen for that part of the case but … but I had knowledge of one of the people involved before that time. Agent Jack Fresno was lead on both cases."

"And what would his contact number be so I can confirm your story?"

Swallowing Emi replied, "He was killed in the line of duty six months ago."

"How … convenient."

Emi's tempered started truly simmering and she asked Haylen, "What's up with the Puppy Power? Your name Scrappy Doo?"

Haylen was not without her own well of snark and Emi seemed to push all the right buttons to finally set her off. Sneering Haylen replied, "I'll take Pop Culture for $800 Alex. Who is Scooby Doo's nephew? As I recall he was a runt, so shouldn't you be Scrappy?"

Mac tried to head off what was fast getting out of hand by saying, "Ladies …" Both women ignored him and Danny was thinking that there was about to be a cat fight which wouldn't exactly hurt his feelings so long as it didn't hurt the case. It would be an interesting match if nothing else.

Emi snorted before answering, "Of course, but your observational skills are a day late and dollar short if you think you are the first person to make the comparison. You are going to have to stretch that clever bone you think you have if you are going to figure me out. I broke the FBI profiler who tried it with me. You see I don't fit in any box you are capable of creating."

Going from snark to outright anger Haylen yelped, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"It means that profiling is a science but that the good ones also know that it is also an art and imperfect at best. They are always improving their databases and making new connections and deductions."

Haylen laughed scornfully. "You think just because you reconstructed some skulls on a high profile case that makes you an expert on Serials?! Apparently the 'experience' didn't set well with you since you practically dropped off the face of the planet after that. Couldn't take the heat?"

Mac considered sending everyone to their corners to cool off but he decided against it because he wanted some answers and this interchange may be a way to speed that process up.

Emi's demeanor went from simmer to boiling, "As I have already stated my … experience … as you call it predates Turcell. Some of which is way above your clearance to have any knowledge of so stuff it. And I wouldn't risk asking your _superiors_ about it Sweety or you'll get dope slapped which might hurt your poor fragile ego. You are already acting more than a little butthurt."

"Why you …!"

Taking it to the mat Emi got in her face and said, "OK, here's the deal, I'll give you a freebie that I hope you can grasp. The two primary lessons that I took away from the Turcell case was first, that all serial killers have a beginning, a middle, and an end … and while the beginning is psychologically interesting and the end can be professionally satisfying … it is all the crap that happens in the middle that makes up the real story and eclipses the rest. Second … crazies breed, even if only unintentionally. So get your head out of your butt and back into the game and start thinking outside of your own damn box you've allowed yourself to be stuffed into! This case isn't about you or your career. It's about the victims and bringing them justice."

Trying to rein herself in, knowing she was barely a breath away from having a serious fit, she added. "Look, it isn't your fault you don't know who I am or how I fit into the cases under discussion. My involvement was kinda wiped from the public record and written over in a lot of the official documentation. The powers that be didn't want the notoriety of getting an eighteen-year-old genius killed. So yeah, I got treated all kinds of special. Yay me," she said with a tone that indicated she felt the polar opposite. "And yeah, I took a chill pill from active criminal investigations after the Turcell trial. And it wasn't because I wanted to so much as because I had responsibilities that came ahead of what my personal desires may have been, and because certain people didn't want to … encourage the issues that had existed to continue."

Emi turned to Jo and said, "I'm sorry I was … was rude." Turning to Mac she said, "I get it. I'm turning into a problem for you and the lab. I take full responsibility and Adam isn't at fault at all. Give me some time to pull it together and I'll explain what I can once I'm sure I have the clearance to do so. Then I'll get out of your hair." Emi walked over to Adam and said in a tightly controlled voice, "I need to get some air. Right … now. Please."

Adam took her arm and glanced at Mac who gave his nod of approval to take Emi out of the lab even though they both knew the appearance of permission was merely for show given their other guests. Adam wanted some answers and he wanted them sooner, not after Emi had figured out a way to throw up more walls.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Adam and Emi took a ride on the elevator to an unused floor of the building. Adam was going to stand back and let Emi walk off some of her mad before he started pushing but she reached back and grabbed his hand, silently asking for him to walk with her. She surprised him by saying contritely, "I owe you an explanation. For a lot of things."

"Yeah, you do," Adam said.

Emi sighed. "I owe you an apology too."

"How about we don't get bogged down with that right now. Just tell me what is going on Emi. You're putting me between a rock and a hard place."

Emi let go of Adam's hand and went to stand by a window and just looked out. She felt as washed out and gray as the sky. "Look, this is hard. You kinda know some of it. And I've never lied to you about any of it. I just didn't necessarily tell you everything."

"Ok. If you had a reason I'm fine with that."

Emi shook her head, feeling miserable, wondering what Adam was going to think of her after he'd heard everything. "Oh I had a reason but some of it I should have already cleared up, it's just … hard for me to admit to some of this." Crossing her arms and hunching her shoulders she said, "I remember one time you said my childhood was ideal … but it wasn't. My family was great … ideal if that's the word you want to go with … it's just that I was the one that … the one that made everything hard. Everyone would have been better off if I hadn't survived or even been born. Don't Adam … just let me get through this," she said when Adam tried to say something in response. "I'm not feeling sorry for myself. I'm not trying to make you feel sorry for me. I'm simply being realistic. My family were good people, I know they loved me, and I hope they knew I loved them right back, but the god's honest truth is if I hadn't been around their lives would have been a lot easier." Emi shook her head at her memories. "I was rotten. The reason why I was with Da so much is because he was about the only person that seemed to know what to do with me, could manage me, especially when I would get overwhelmed and act out. At different times I was diagnosed with everything imaginable … ADD, ADHD, autism, a personality disorder, hormonal imbalance, psychosis, ODD … you know, oppositional defiant disorder … I was just one kind of mess right after the other, just no one seemed to know exactly what kind of mess I was for sure, and still don't. Some of the doctors told my parents that I was just too smart and was as frustrated as an old woman being treated like a child would be, that I simply acted out a lot as a result because I really was a child and didn't have the coping skills necessary because my brain was still developing. This one woman even told my parents it was a defensive maneuver by my brain … like my brain was somehow its own entity separate from the rest of me. My parents really held onto that and it made them determined to train me to have some kind of life besides behind prison bars where behaving like that as an adult would have eventually landed me."

Remembering how she'd acted always made Emi feel ashamed. "I gave Ma such a hard time even though I didn't really mean to … just the things she wanted for me were the things that she identified with … sewing, cooking, crafty activities, things that used to set me off because I had no patience and they felt like busywork. I've learned to appreciate them now that I'm older but back then … I don't know … we butted heads a lot and I know it hurt her feelings though she didn't let it show … but I'd hear her crying sometimes to Da about it. And Michael, he was always pulling me out of messes with the neighborhood kids. I just couldn't seem to interact with people my own age. So, I was on my own a lot because most people … except maybe Gran's friends who considered me 'a funny little thing' … just couldn't deal with me. The doctors had thought it was going to get worse as I hit puberty but … it actually got better. In hindsight they think it is because as my brain physically developed it could handle all the garbage going on in my head … process it I mean. I don't know for sure what the reasons were. I'm not sure I ever will. And there's no chance to go back and make up for the kid I was or make it up to my family for putting them through hell because they're all gone."

Still confused Adam asked, "Is this about the pills or the case?"

"Both actually," Emi said wearily. "It's just one of those long and ridiculously stupid soap operas and I have to give you the backstory before we can get down to the nuts and bolts of what is going on now. I told you about how I acted when my family was murdered, how it put me in a group home rather than with my uncle or in a foster home. Well there was a little more to it than that. See … I got labeled as unadoptable. I wouldn't have put up with being adopted but … the right family could have made my life better than it was only I wasn't considered 'safe' for placing. That meant rather than send me to a traditional group home for kids my age, I was sent to live in a 'special' home with other 'unadoptable' kids."

"I know you told me the place was rough."

"Oh, I suppose the staff meant well but think about … a house full of teenagers with a myriad of problems and all topped up with an ungodly amount of raging hormones, emotional problems, and angsty crap. And it's not like the staff were getting paid all that much … most of them complained they were barely making a living wage even though they had college degrees. And they said they needed hazard duty pay on top of it because the kids …" Emi shrugged. "In our group home it wasn't about physical disabilities, but about … about … mental ones." She couldn't look at Adam. "They like their nice, neat little boxes with their nice, neat little acronyms to label the boxes with. And then they like to tape the boxes up so the mess inside them doesn't spill out and create problems for them by making more work." Rubbing her arms like she was cold Emi continued to explain. "As soon as I got there and started acting out they medicated me. It was against my will and I fought them at first – that's the one thing my parents never allowed the doctors to do to me – but it didn't take long for the meds to turn me into a vegetable. They thought they were successful but … really, it was killing me. The me I was as a person and … and physically as well. It was depressing my respirations, blood pressure, and other things they just didn't realize it at the time. It made me very lethargic and pliable … when I wasn't acting as screwy as a drunk squirrel. And that's where she comes in."

"She?"

"Her name is Jeannie Scott. She seemed the most normal kid in the home … but she was actually the most dangerous only most of the adults didn't know that at the time. Jeannie is very smart … or should I say clever because that's different from academic smarts. She could fake knowing what she needed to know or she would bust some kid to write a paper or take a test for her. Plus she was and is pretty … not gorgeous, not beautiful, but definitely pretty in an innocuous kind of way if that makes sense. She disarms people really easily with her ingénue act; they underestimate her. She's a chameleon and is also a really good manipulator. You don't know what has hit you until you are already run over by the freight train and you lay bleeding out in pieces scatted across the tracks."

Proving he was still listening Adam guessed, "I take it you had a few run ins with this girl."

"Not with her directly, not at first; that's not how she operates. The drugs they had me on … basically I was just the newest victim for her crew to practice their trade on. I got the crap beat out of me on a regular basis … sometimes daily, sometimes every couple of days, and on the extra special occasions I got it multiple times a day. And being a girl and younger and smaller didn't matter. I was stoned out of my head most of the time but I knew if I didn't do something I was going to wind up dead or worse. I almost didn't care but for some reason when I'd get to not caring the most, my Da's face would show up in my head and I knew he was lecturing me but I didn't know what he was saying. I just knew that he was fussing because … because he didn't want me dead or worse. It was a hallucination but it did what it had to do."

Emi's voice cracked and Adam risked pulling her back against him. She was stiff at first but as she continued to tell her story it became like Adam was the only thing holding her up.

"So to survive I started … following Jeannie. I thought if I could figure out what she needed maybe she'd call her dogs off and I wouldn't hurt so much. For some reason Jeannie got a kick out of it. I don't know, maybe at that point she really could have used someone to take care of her and she would have gotten better but I was just a kid … barely thirteen and she was sixteen and I had no business acting like her caregiver, no business thinking I was smart enough to deal with the situation I was faced with. Maybe she was just an egomaniac and couldn't conceive it was for any other reason. Either way I had no defense against her. None. I'd never had to deal with anything like that, any one like that. Jeannie was a master of the stick and carrot method of manipulation. My Da wasn't against popping my butt every once in a while but it always hurt him more than it hurt me. He acted like it killed him and that was enough to draw me back in line."

"Opposite of my father."

"Forgive me Adam but your father is a jerk. I don't know how much of that was intentional because he's got his own damage but you were just a kid. And what he did was wrong. Replaying what was done to him, when he knew how much it hurt … "

Adam's arms tightened around her and then he said, "So … you basically … didn't know how to handle what was going on."

Emi sighed. "In part. But after a while I started … partly anyway … I got used to the drugs … they didn't work as well as the staff intended. What I didn't know was in addition to becoming desensitized to them Jeannie was swiping my pills on occasion and replacing them with sugar pills. She was doing it to a lot of the kids. See, she was in charge of making sure we complied. The staff person would hand her the cup with our meds in it and she got really good with a slight of hand trick. Just that fast she could switch out our meds and then she would take them and sell them at the school most of the kids went to."

"You went to school with them?"

"Nope. I had a tutor come in. He's actually who caught on to what was happening because he was also medically trained. Mr. Jason Parnell. His death is going to be on my head 'til Judgment Day."

"Death?! Wha … ?"

"Wait. Let me back up a sec, I don't want to confuse things more than they are." Adam nodded and she continued. "See as my med levels went down I wasn't quite as pliable as I had been. I started getting into fights with some of Jeannie's crew … intentionally getting into fights. They were older kids and … basically I never won but the fights were never about winning."

"You were protecting some of the other kids."

Emi was surprised that not only did she not have to explain it to Adam but that he believed it without question. She pulled his hand up and kissed it and said, "Yeah though you are about the only person on the planet that knows that."

"How did this Jeannie take it?"

"Well, at first she decided that I was defending her, or trying to impress her and move up the chain of command in the gang. It was an easy lie for her to believe. She would get paranoid ever so often … and with reason. You just don't do the crap she was doing to people – even kids – and not expect to have it come back at you eventually. And other kids _had_ tried to mess her up. None of us were what you would call complete innocents. We were all carrying our share of crazy."

"Were Gary and Felicia there then?"

"Felicia was there before me, had been there since she was ten or so because she physically matured early but didn't have the emotional health, boundaries, whatever you want to call it, to deal with that and she got taken advantage of a lot as a young girl. Her IQ … wasn't high. She probably was in the borderline range but with severe anxiety issues; she had Shaken Baby Syndrome plus some health issues. Gary came in about the same time as me but we really didn't cross paths all that much. Most of the kids in the home knew how to avoid trouble most of the time … I seemed to be one of those that attracted it instead so I got avoided. Plus some of them thought that I was part of Jeannie's crew … just an odd duck that Jeannie kept as a pet and that pretty much described it too. Then I did something that … Jeannie thought I needed a lesson for. Doesn't matter in the scheme of things what it was but it did cause the adults to take notice. As retribution Jeannie caught me one night and nearly sheered me."

"Sheered … you mean she cut your hair?!"

Emi snorted. "I looked like a poodle with mange. You think my hair is a mess when you had to wash it? Just imagine if I didn't have the weight of the length I have it now. It was like short metal springs except where she had actually made it down to the scalp."

"How …?"

"She'd drugged me but she miscalculated. She cut my head and it bled like most scalp wounds do … actually it was down to the skull. That's the scar you noticed but never got around to asking me to explain," she said. "A girl walked in and started screaming hysterically because of all the blood which brought the staff. Jeannie tried to play it off that she was trying to stop me but when they realized just how drugged I was they knew there was no way I could have done it to myself. I nearly died from a reaction to the meds she'd drugged me with and had to go get my stomach pumped and I was in ICU for a few days. It became a criminal investigation because of Mr. Parnell reporting it … he had to because he was still licensed and was actually an independent tutor; he answered to the school district and was not under the authority of those at the home or child services. So it was more than just an incident report that could be swept under the rug. And for a while my life actually got a little better."

"Because of this Parnell guy."

"Yeah. New case workers were brought into the home. A new home supervisor … some of the kids were moved around and split up into other homes. And Jeannie wound up with someone that really knew what they were doing and realized that she was a bona fide sociopath. They just didn't … well … diagnosing someone is completely separate from actually being able to do anything about it. She appeared to play along and everyone let their guard down. Two months later Jeannie killed Mr. Parnell. She told everyone else that he'd been molesting her and that he was the reason that she was like she was but she made sure that I knew that it was my fault … absolutely my fault … that she'd killed him and was going to destroy his reputation because of me."

A soft southern voice whispered, "Oh Emi … Honey … it wasn't your fault. You do know that right?"

Both Adam and Emi turned to find Jo, Mac, Danny, Hawkes, and Haylen standing there listening.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Emi didn't feel ready to reveal everything yet but it looked like her hand had been dealt against her will. She stepped away from Adam even though it was difficult and walked closer to the window and looked down. "No, I didn't cut his throat and no I didn't make Jeannie do what she did … but I have to accept the fact that the reason why Jeannie picked Mr. Parnell was because of me. I take responsibility for what I create."

She raised her hand to silence the babble of voices that tried to tell her otherwise. "None of you were there. None of you know Jeannie. None of you are yet aware of where this goes next so save your platitudes. I don't mean that I don't appreciate them, just … just wait until you have the whole story. See how you feel then."

She sighed and continued. "Jeannie was sixteen. She had a great lawyer and wasn't charged as an adult. The poor man probably really believed all of that garbage that Jeannie told him. However, she had a tough woman judge. Everyone had pretty much expected Jeannie to get off with a few months in juvie then back to a group home. Instead the judge sentenced her to juvie until she was eighteen and then she was to be re-evaluated and at that time, based on those results, she would either go to adult prison until the age of 25 or she would be institutionalized until such a time as she could complete her sentence. To say everyone was shocked? Yeah. Especially Jeannie. But you learn things in juvie … and Jeannie learned to manipulate the system and people even more and then at eighteen, while in state custody to be evaluated, she escaped. I was fifteen and I was at the top of her hit list but by that time Felicia and Gary had taken me under their wing and had taught me how to survive … and I was nothing if not good at surviving. I ran for two days before she got bored and decided to go after more satisfying prey … first her lawyer and then the judge. We're pretty sure that there were others but without solid proof they're only hypothetically linked as her victims."

Danny said, "And where's this crazy chick now?"

Jo said, "Patience, she's getting there."

"Yeah," Emi involuntarily shivered again. She wished she could go back to Adam but there was a gulf between them now. Oh, he would do anything that she asked but Emi knew she had to create some distance to keep him safe. "Compared to all of you I've had a screwed up personal life. It doesn't really mean anything to this part of the story except to say that when I was eighteen and aged out of the system I found … anyway I made some choices, got married, adopted Gary and Felicia's child, because … just because there's no way to explain it if you didn't know them. I did it mostly for Reni who wouldn't have survived foster care because of her issues. She needed someone right then, not someone that might come along at some point. It's a choice I made, and because of Gary's issues I was the one in charge of supporting us so I took whatever job came along. I didn't have my doctorate at that point but it was a given that I would get it, the approval just had to work its way through all of the university political claptrap. It didn't bother me either way."

"I had moved my new little family to Pennsylvania because it was convenient to the university. I took forensic jobs where I could find them. And that's where, through a series of comedic errors, I wound up doing forensic work on the Mortensen Case. My stomach is cast iron and the sketch artist that had been on the scene tossed his cookies – I'd been there getting an estimate for crime scene clean up for the building manager actually. The detectives on duty already knew me from previous clean-up work and a few other things and asked if I could just take a few pictures for them." Emi snorted a humorless laugh. "I actually wound up being put on the pay roll of the feds that night to keep me quiet because the two couples involved were fairly high profile movers and shakers in the DC area. DHS got involved and everything. I can't give you the names but even today you'd recognize them though you'd have never heard that they were dead much less how they died. To make this story short Jeannie was caught … but only because she came after me. I wound up pretty banged around and would have some interesting scars to show for it if someone high up hadn't paid to have a plastic surgeon erase them. Then I was awarded my doctorate and got called in on the Turcell case so the government could get their money's worth … and because they couldn't find anyone else dumb enough to take the job on. I did what I did and some of it even got left in the records but … Jeannie used it to track me down and send threats … and then … and then she … escaped again and I … managed to get away with the help of Agent Fresno. Jeannie got locked up and dumped down a deep hole. But lucky me Turcell somehow found out … I think it was his defense attorney … and basically tried to use it to freak me out and throw the case. Then Turcell got dumped down a deep hole but unlike Jeannie he has his own personal cult following and those freaks … his offspring if you will … they like to pop up from time to time and make claims that their demigod was railroaded and that it was all my fault and that I'm the demon not Turcell, yada, yada. One even got ahold of my real background and tried to claim it was me who murdered my family … geez, you just don't want to know. But the worst of it was when one of the Turcell freaks managed to bribe a guard and get a message to Jeannie and they teamed up to make threats against Gary and Renita. That was it. I was done. And so was my illustrious career that wasn't. And no regrets … or at least none that really amount to anything. The End."

There was silence until Mac said, "Not quite."

"Uh …"

Mac just looked at her and for the first time she was the recipient of his "forbidding look." Adam was right … Mac can be scary.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Soooo, what is it you want to know that I haven't covered?"

Instead of answering her Mac looked at Adam. "You need to carry from here on out until we get this mess cleared up."

"Wait … what?!" Emi was beginning to feel like she'd lost control of the conversation, that they were going to start talking over her rather than to her. In reaction she said, "No … if I'm endangering Adam then I'll …"

Adam cut her off with, "Whatever you're thinking Emi, forget it. Let Mac explain. He's part of the reason I brought you in today. I knew he'd come up with something."

Mac hid his surprise quickly but not quickly enough that Danny and Jo didn't see it. Danny wondered how for a smart man Mac didn't always see how much Adam looked up to him … almost like a father figure. Danny realized that Adam had put him in the big brother role but he hadn't really appreciated the responsibility that came with something like that until Lucy had forced him to re-evaluate how he looked at things in life. For her part Jo prayed that Mac wouldn't fall off of the pedestal that Adam insisted on putting him on. It would be a long and painful fall for both men.

Mac cleared his throat and repeated, "You carry at all times … the field, here at the lab, even at home." Finally, Mac turned his piercing gaze on Emi. "No running off. Period."

"What's … what's going on? I told you that Jeannie was still in her deep, dark hole and I know Turcell is so …"

Interrupting her he told everyone, "After some investigating on a separate matter I discovered that Dr. Roberta Carrolls was providing therapy to one of the victims from last evening. The problem being that according to her sister, Roberta Carrolls lost her license to practice about eight months ago and hasn't been heard from by her family and friends since that time. The sister had no idea that Carrolls was in the City, or practicing without a license."

Danny asked, "Do we know why she lost her license?"

"That's what I expect Agents Bacall and Mayberry to find out since it was due to charges brought by the FBI. However, the case the charges stem from has been sealed. Their ability to discover the reason and report them would of course be considered inter-agency cooperation and could lead to better communications on this case."

Haylen was about to open her mouth but Agent Mayberry had had enough and answered for them both. "If we can't find out directly, we'll forward it to our supervisor Agent Morton. We'll do what we can to confirm what Dr. O'Ryan was told regarding the earlier cases."

Emi startled them by warning, "Don't endanger your careers." At their look of surprise. "The Mortensen Case. There is some powerful and nasty people involved with that, not to mention heavy-weights at DHS. Go easy. I don't need any more on my conscience come Judgment Day than I already have to face." Haylen looked skeptical but apparently Mayberry was comfortable with the reference and merely nodded.

After the two agents left via the elevator Adam asked suspiciously, "How did you know where we were at?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Hey ho, you aren't the only one that knows how to use a computer to track a GPS signal … or don't you remember you're both carrying smart phones?"

"You got Kendall to do it," Adam guessed.

Danny made a face and said, "Shaddup."

The two men smiled but Mac and Jo noticed that Emi didn't. Mac gave Jo a look before encouraging everyone back to elevators and to the lab to work on the current case.

# # # # # # #

Emi watched the men get back to work from her vantage at Lindsey's desk. After she was sure their conversation wouldn't get noticed she turned to Jo and said, "I saw the look. What is it that Mac wants?"

Jo leaned back in her chair and nodded. "Emi, it's his job to be suspicious. And it isn't just Mac's job but all of us. This is what we do … help solve crimes."

"Ok. And?"

"He wants me to … er … encourage you to cooperate with Adam and not give him a hard time."

"I don't plan on being a problem for him. I owe him too much." More quietly she said, "I … I care about him too much."

Jo snorted. "I have a teenage daughter. I know about semantics. Tell me point blank that you will not run off."

Emi didn't like being backed into a corner but she understood why Jo was doing it. "What do you want from me? I will not … will NOT … put Adam at risk. You don't know crazies as intimately as I do. It feels like I've had a lifetime to get personally acquainted with these types. Heck some people consider me one of them."

Jo shook her head. "Quit stalling." She was smiling but Emi also saw the steel beneath the smile.

"I'm not. I'm being realistic. I'll promise that it isn't my plan at this time but I won't lie and say it might not happen if things heat up and …"

"At all," Jo said like she was talking to Ellie, her teenage daughter. "I mean it Emi."

"But …"

"At all," she repeated. "If you start to feel the need to run for some ungodly reason then you call Mac or I. We'll listen."

Irritated Emi said, "I'm not putting either of you in danger either. Mac has Christine. You have Ellie and your other kids. No. Not happening."

Jo knew that if she pushed too hard she'd lose Emi's trust and that isn't what she wanted. Instead she told her, "You're being pig headed you know that?"

"Maybe but it's the only way I know how to be. I let my guard down for a while … and look where that got me, look how that hurt Adam. No. I'm not going there again. My baggage is my baggage. There is no offloading point. Looks like I carry it until the grave. Fine. Whatever. No normal for me."

"And what about Adam?"

"I protect Adam from me as well. I'm going to do the best I can to see he gets the life he deserves. And don't pull that face, I know Adam is a grown man and has a right to have a say in his own future. I haven't got it all figured out yet but I'm done feeling sorry for myself. I'm … I'm done trying to change who I am. If I'm lucky Adam can live with that … he claims he likes who I am. Maybe that was my mistake to begin with … maybe I'm not even sure what that means … but I'm not going to take it for granted and go out of my way to screw it up. There's only one Adam Ross in this world and for now … for now he is mine and I'm … I'm going to try and keep it that way. But not at Adam's expense. And that's all I'm going to say about it."

Jo sighed not at all satisfied with that as an answer. "Mac … he's worried."

"About me? Or about me being the weak link?"

"Emi, you know we all care …"

Emi nodded. "I know. I know it is mostly for Adam's sake but some of it really is for mine. And that just makes me more determined. You are all a tight team, you're used to closing ranks and doing whatever you have to do for one of your own. But I won't be shut out of this … I don't want to be 'protected' to the point I don't have enough information to make my own decisions. If I sense that it is going that way I'll go off and do my own investigation. I may not have all of the resources a lab like this one does but I'm still capable of doing it the old fashioned way. I'm used to having to start from scratch and build something based on only a few facts and I still manage … or I did manage … to be doggone accurate."

"Hmmm. Blackmail. Not the best way to handle Mac." Jo gave her a seriously unhappy look and added, "Nor me."

Emi shrugged. "I don't want to handle Mac. I don't want to 'handle' any of you. I'm not even asking to be a member of the team or interfere with the investigation currently underway on the homicides. I doubt if that would even be possible. But if it pertains to me and my case I want to be kept in the loop. I don't need to drive the bus but I'm determined to be a passenger."

"Or you'll go out and get your own bus?"

"Something like that."

"I'll discuss it with Mac but no guarantees."

Emi said, "None on my end either."

They both fell silent and returned to their other work. Jo to the never ending piles of paperwork on her messy desk and Emi to her pile of sketches and her internal dialogue of wondering what she had left to bring to the table that would prove she wasn't the frail helpless thing they'd seen the last couple of months.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Adam unlocked the front door and Emi walked into the house they shared. She winced suddenly getting a good look at what she'd done. She sighed and started to pick up the detritus of old newspapers, packing peanuts, and boxes that littered the house.

Adam told her, "That can wait."

Shaking her head sadly Emi responded, "No. I made the mess I'll pick it up."

"We'll pick it up together. First I wanna talk."

"Adam I can't tell you anymore about the Mortensen Case than what I already have. I can give you the Agent in Charge's cell and …"

"That's not what I want to talk about. C'mon."

Emi was too tired and too worried to argue. Instead she cautiously followed Adam upstairs but almost balked when he went towards her old bedroom. Still, she followed him in but avoided looking at the floor and walls where the stains still showed.

Adam was serious enough that Emi grew worried. When he asked, "Why didn't you tell me?" her anxiety started to peak.

"About what? This mess? My past is not your problem to clean up. It's my responsibility."

Adam was eyeing her like he was studying a piece of evidence and Emi didn't like it at all but figured he had the right after the way she'd acted. He said, "Last night you were saying something about a blast zone. I need to understand what you meant. At least give me that Emi."

"I …" She shook her head. "Let's go downstairs and …"

"No. Here. No running away or getting side tracked. Explain it to me now so I can understand. Why would you keep this from me? Why Emi? And don't rationalize it. Have I ever … _ever_ … given you reason to think I wouldn't let you explain something? It's what brought us together in the first place … how easy it was to talk to each other. When did that change? Why are you shutting me out?"

Appalled Emi said, "I'm not shutting you out! But I will not ever do what I did at the hospital!" Emi slapped a hand over her mouth and realized she was doing exactly what she hadn't meant to. Yelling. At him. For something that wasn't his fault. Emi knew what came after that.

She started backing away but this time Adam took his foot and toed the door closed. "I can handle yelling Emi. I'm not that weak."

"Of course you're not!" she said outraged. "You're not the weak one … I am."

"Emi, you're one of the strongest people I know."

"No. Uh uh. You heard what I told you. You heard what a rotten kid I was and everything else. You heard the choices I made, what I did. You never did that. Despite everything you went through you never …"

"Who says?"

Emi was shocked. "Emi," Adam stopped on a cynical chuckle. "Believe me I've done things I regret. If the college had known all of the stuff my friends and I got up to we would have been expelled. For a while there I lived hard and played hard as a way of proving my father had no control over me anymore, that no one had any control over me. And getting out of college only changed some of it. I outgrew the worst of it but I still like to play hard when I can. Hockey isn't just a hobby … it's a way for me to physically let off steam and know the other guy will do the same thing. We can pound on each other in an environment where it is safe and expected."

"Hockey is not safe, you almost lost a tooth!"

"That's what mouth guards and dental insurance is for." He smiled at Emi's outraged expression. "Emi, credit me with some sense. What I'm saying is I realize things you … we … did as kids isn't necessarily something we'll do now … especially now when we are together. Ground rules aside I consider this a permanent arrangement. Do you?"

"God Adam! After you've heard how crazy I am you still want …?!"

"Even more. Because it means that you understand better than I thought you did … about … about how it was for me as a kid. People say they understand but most of them don't, not really. You understand. And now I have proof for what I thought was wishful thinking."

"Oh Adam."

"No, you aren't going to side track me with sympathy. I want to know what I did to make you think that you … you couldn't … share this with me. You were there for me when Michelle did what she did. Did that make you think I was too weak? That I couldn't handle this?"

Emi sighed. "I don't think you're weak. It has nothing to do with that. But, just like the papers and stuff downstairs are my mess to clean up … so is this. I can't expect you to just …"

"Yeah, yeah you can. That's what I'm trying to explain Emi. We can expect things from one another. That's why I could knock on your door in the middle of the night begging for cookies when I had forgotten to go to the market and didn't have anything in the frig after a long day at work. That's why you could knock on my door because you stepped on a piece of glass and needed help getting it out. I could beg you to iron a shirt and you could beg a ride from me. We've been expecting things of each other all long. Why stop now?"

Emi shrugged. "Because you deserve better than this … this mess. I … I thought …"

"Thought what?"

Sadly she admitted, "I thought if I could clean this up, protect you from my next meltdown then maybe … just maybe … I had a chance of hiding just how big a mess I am, how unnatural, how not normal."

"And that's another thing. Meds Emi? Really? Without even talking to me about it? What if I hadn't been here? What if … what if you had an even worse reaction than you did? What if you started having trouble breathing?! God Emi … just the thought of what could have happened …"

Shame-faced Emi said, "Ok … I admit the meds was stupid. I just wanted to be normal."

"Why? What's so special about being normal? I've met plenty of so-called normal people and I gotta say normal doesn't come with a super-secret decoder ring of happiness."

Emi's mouth fell open in surprise. Adam pulled her into his arms and shut her mouth with a kiss. "I like who you are Emi. I fell in like with you the first time I met you and you were discussing the merits and size of anatomically correct reconstructions over the phone for the whole world to hear. Just blurted it out in the middle of the laundry room, riding that crazy washing machine as it shook and shimmied. Then when you turned to me and just kept talking about it I didn't know which way was up; whether to laugh or run away or just what. Yeah, I knew you were something special then and if you hadn't been married I probably would have gotten around to making a play for you. But we were friends first and that's turned out to be even better. We've both needed that … someone we could trust through all of the crap that has gone on in our lives. And just because we're more than friends now, that doesn't have to change. Don't shut me out Emi. Whatever you are, it's what I like … what I want … what I love."

"You … you don't know … I mean …"

"I do know. If it takes me a while to convince you then that's what I'll do. Just promise me … no more hiding things. Like the stains in this room. You can't cover things up and not deal with them. They aren't just going to suddenly disappear. I … I hid from the truth … tried to hide from the truth … for too long. I should have learned how to deal with my anger instead of running from it and pretending it didn't exist. All I did was create a disaster waiting to happen … and one that almost did. I could have lost this … what we have. You … I … look Emi, you need to learn to deal with things. If you have to deal with them in your head different from the way other people do, there's nothing wrong with that. If you're hardwiring is different then there's nothing wrong with that either. If you need time to wrap your head around something, that's fine too … but you've gotta tell me that is what's happening. Don't make me guess and worry that I've done something wrong."

"I keep trying to tell you … it's not you, it's me."

Adam rolled his eyes. "Nope. Don't wanna hear that either. That's the kiss of death for relationships."

"Huh?"

"You know … the old 'it's not you, it's me, I need some space' thing."

"Oh. Ew. That's … that's not at all what I meant."

"Good … but I wouldn't mind a little convincing if you feel up to it. Maybe I could even use some. After we get all that paper picked up downstairs."

Realizing that maybe she hadn't totally screwed things up with Adam Emi played cautious and asked, "Do … um … do I get to break the ground rules?"

Adam grinned because he saw she was hiding a small grin … a real one this time. "Emi … behave."

"I always behave. I'm just not necessarily well behaved all the time." Then she snuggled close into his arms. "Are we ok?"

"Yeah. And we're staying that way. Screw the monsters in the closet."

Emi could have done without hearing his last statement. She knew what he meant but it triggered some memories she wasn't ready to share and it took her a moment or two before she was able to let him go so they could get to work.

# # # # # # # #

Three days later Mac was looking at a pile of folders on his desk, each one representing a separate case, and was internally debating how he was going to rearrange staffing priorities. He really didn't want to put what was now being called the "Ying Yang Case" to the bottom of the pile but they hadn't made any more progress on their end. Despite Jo revealing there was some stalling on the Virginia side of the case because they had evidence, he couldn't just waste time and resources when there were other cases that needed the lab's attention.

Reaching to draw another stack towards him he glanced down the hall and was surprised to see Agent Mulberry coming down the hall. Alone.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Agent Mayberry."

"Detective Taylor," he said as he sat in the chair that Mac had indicated. Then the young man sighed and said, "What a mess."

"That doesn't sound good."

"Depends on your definition. There's been some blow back."

"I take it you met some resistance on your end of the investigation."

The younger man nodded showing some real fatigue. "It certainly didn't have to be as hard as it turned into but I think I have it straightened out. Dr. O'Ryan's cautionary note … she wasn't exaggerating. I don't know who the people are that are connected to the Mortensen Case but they are powerful and move fast. Agent Bacall has been reassigned … to the records room. She'll … er … be there a while."

Mac's eyebrows went up in surprise. "How did you avoid such a fate?"

"Haylen was so keen to do the talking … so I stepped back and let her talk. I just made it clear that I was more … amendable … to taking a different approach."

Sardonically Mac asked, "Like now?"

"Yes Sir." Richard Mayberry shook his head, further showing how weary he was. "Haylen wasn't always this way Detective, driven sure but … not like you saw her. In the academy she was great and for a long time after that but … I get it … it is different for women in a male dominated workplace. My aunt is a federal prosecutor so I've heard about it for years. All the garbage women have to go through to get half as far as men do. Most know what they're getting into or already come from a connected family to help them jump the hurdles. Then you run into the idealistic ones that think talent and determination alone will see them through. Haylen is … was … idealistic. She wound up letting her professional frustration bleed over into things too much and she has had to pay the price for it. If she is half as smart as I know her to be, the new assignment will give her a chance to cool off and re-evaluate things, maybe make some new connections. At least I hope so. But for her sake I hope she doesn't come back to our office. They'll never let her live it down."

Mac nodded. His former partner Stella Bonasera, and his new one Jo, had run into the good ol' boy club a few times. Stella could be a bulldog and got away with it most of the time but Jo handled things completely differently and preferred charming her adversaries into submission. Both were successful and talented, they just moved through life differently. Men could vary just as greatly in how they maneuvered through the political hierarchy in the workplace, apparently Agent Mayberry was developing his own skills in that area.

Mac leaned back in his chair saying, "And here you are. Alone."

Agent Mayberry nodded. "And off the record please. People think I'm here smoothing ruffled feathers over how excluded your office has been kept from the Virginia investigation. I don't really have any proof to offer for what I'm about to tell you but it is the truth as I've been able to discover it. Not all of this comes through official channels if you know what I mean."

"All right, my feathers are being smoothed. So tell me what you found and I'll be appropriately appreciative to your bosses."

Agent Mayberry snorted. "Don't thank me yet. And don't let that hot pistol Dr. O'Ryan know I've spilled the beans on her." The agent saw Mac's concern. "It's nothing bad, just if she hasn't told you she might not appreciate it. She's got a reputation with the ones that have met her, mostly favorable, but there's a few that consider her … er … volatile."

Mac gave a small smile. "We're all aware that Emi can be … volatile."

Agent Mayberry didn't return the smile. "Maybe you are … and maybe you aren't. Let me just tell it and then I'll get out of your hair so you can decide what to do with it."

The basic facts of the case were exactly as Emi has shared them up to when Jeannie Scott attacked her during the Turcell investigation. "Agent Fresno's report – the unredacted one – is interesting to say the least. I got that one from a newly transferred personnel." Mac was given to understand it was Haylen in the records room without the agent mentioning names. He filed it for future reference and began to think perhaps Haylen might be worth the effort to cultivate after all. "According to what Dr. O'Ryan stated she credited Agent Fresno with capturing the unsub but Agent Fresno said that without Dr. O'Ryan's quick action and willingness to put herself in harm's way several agents would have been killed. Dr. O'Ryan herself was badly injured."

"Badly?"

"According to the report the unsub had planted incendiary devices in the building – it was an extended stay hotel – and in order to stop her from being able to activate them Dr. O'Ryan rushed her and they both went out a 3rd floor glass sliding door, continued to fight, then went over the balcony. They hit the roof one story down but didn't stop fighting. The unsub would have gotten away but Dr. O'Ryan refused to let go and they went off the roof there and down into a shed that housed the hotel's pool equipment. Agents at that point captured the unsub … Jeannie Scott … and packed Dr. O'Ryan off to the hospital before the press could show up. They patched her up and she appeared in court the next afternoon because the judge refused to grant a delay. No one outside of the judge, the lead prosecutor, the lead defense attorney and a couple of guards knew what shape the doctor was really in. I've seen the tapes and damn but you can't tell the woman was patched up … she seemed completely normal. As soon as she was finished on the stand she was whisked away so she wouldn't have to face any questions outside of the court room. Then the threats came in from Turcell's followers … someone in the defense attorney's office was part of that … Jesus it was like a freaking circus with leaks springing all over the place. Some people … and who those people are I don't know and don't want to know … offered to help Dr. O'Ryan and her family start over. She picked NYC to be close to a Professor Armitage who is the brother of one of her case workers, and her life has been mostly normal since then except when these people send a cold case her way to work on. She also does work on mass grave sites and _that_ you definitely didn't hear from me."

"So she continues to do work on Serial cases."

"They aren't traditional cases and not all of them are located here in the States. The few I was able to get any intel on seemed like they were the type that someone had in a file they keep in their desk drawer and take out every few weeks to read and see if there is any new information to be found. Cold cases. Weird cases. Supposedly unprovable cases. So like I said, you didn't hear it from me. Cases no one else really wants to get involved in. Which brings us to the current case. Let's start with Dr. Roberta Carrolls. Turns out she is dead."

"When?!"

"Seven months ago."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Excuse me but did you say seven months ago?"

"Yeah Detective, I did. We found her body – the real Dr. Carrolls' – so it's confirmed. She was a Jane Doe in the Philadelphia morgue until yesterday when someone finally got around to putting her fingerprints into the database. Gang violence has really got their ME's office backed up and the city is too strapped for cash to hire temp help for the clerical stuff."

Mac was well aware of budgetary constraints and their consequences. "I understand but that should be standard procedure as soon as a body comes in, especially if identity is in question. If their office is so hard up for funds they could still apply for a grant and get a fingerprint scanner." Mac shook his head and stopped. It wasn't that long ago that they'd had similar issues in this lab until they'd gotten the new lab with all of its bells and whistles. "So, any idea of the identity of the woman who stole her identity?"

Mayberry said, "No one has a clue who was, or is, using Dr. Carrolls' identity. It might even be more than one person doing so as some of the descriptions gathered are too dissimilar. Or it could be one person with multiple disguises. The DNA collected from the offices known to be used by someone claiming to be Dr. Carrolls has all been compromised. After each therapy session a professional cleaning crew was hired to do a deep clean. Building managers thought it odd but since they weren't paying they didn't complain. I've done what I could to keep Dr. O'Ryan's name out of it but if she could get with a sketch artist …" He stopped and shook his head. "Man I'm tired, Dr. O'Ryan can do her own sketch. But see if you can match it to anyone in your databases. Just do it for your own reasons and keep me out of it but if you do find anything … ?"

"I'll give you a call. Is the Carrolls issue what is causing the problems in communication between our two agencies?"

"One of the them. Biggest problem is too queen bees, not enough drones if you know what I mean. Now comes some really sticky stuff. Dr. Carrolls … the real Dr. Carrolls … lost her license because of something that happened with Jeannie Scott." Mac did his best to keep his face blank but it wasn't easy. "She was the woman's court ordered therapist but what occurred that was heinous enough to cause Dr. Carrolls to lose her license is a piece of tightly controlled intel. Haylen said she would see what she could ferret out but I wouldn't hold my breath. Someone called Agent Morton and … well it rattled him enough that he said that we aren't to even mention Jeannie Scott's name, not even in our sleep. Further this somehow involves the death of Agent Jack Fresno."

Quickly putting the information to try and form an initial theory Mac asked, "Is Emi in danger? Is Adam?"

"I don't know. Someone certainly thinks the possibility exists. She has eyes on her. Whether they contact her to let her know or not … _that's_ way above my pay grade and is likely to stay that way. What I can tell you is they know Dr. O'Ryan will be less likely to cooperate if she thinks her family is in danger so they've got a tail on your man Ross as well. And frankly may have someone keeping an eye on your lab and its personnel. My sense is that they want to keep the doctor calm and … er … non-volatile so they'll spend their capital to make that way."

Mac nodded thoughtfully. "Can you tell me whether the recent victims were connected in any way to the previous ones?"

Mayberry shrugged, "Not that anyone is currently aware of. It's suspected they were merely convenient."

"Is there any doubt that Jeannie Scott was the killer in the first Ying Yang Killings?"

"None; however, there was some suspicion – but no proof – that she didn't act alone."

"One of Turcell's agent provocateurs?"

"No, that was before those two connected though that might be worth a little more investigation to see if there is a mutual acquaintance that predates that point."

After a moment more Mac said, "Basically what you're telling me is for the moment it appears that someone is attempting to throw doubt on the original Ying Yang killer which would lead to Jeannie Scott's release."

"That's one of the theories being thrown around; however, if whoever is doing this knew how unlikely they were going to be succeed in getting Scott released in any way, shape, or form then they wouldn't have even bothered trying. I'm telling you those people aren't fooling around. Jeannie Scott is lucky she gets to see the sun from her cell window and wasn't simply disappeared for being a threat to national security."

Mac sighed and steepled his fingers. "Well Agent Mayberry you've certainly given me a lot to think about."

"Still thankful that I dropped by?"

Mac shrugged, "The truth is the truth no matter how inconvenient it may be."

# # # # # # # #

Adam looked at his phone in mild irritation before walking into the kitchen looking for the woman in his life. "Emi?! Oh. There you are. Mac just called. I gotta get into the lab early. Uh … why are you looking at the broom closet like that?

"Huh? Oh … no reason," Emi lied. That blasted closet reminded her too much of the one that had started to frequent her nightmares. "Do I have time to cook, or not?"

"Sorry Babe … not. I'll just grab a …"

"There's some manicotti left over from last night. Will that and some munchies work?"

"That's perfect," he told her with a kiss and a rumbly stomach. "You know the drill. Don't wait up."

"You know the drill. If you are too tired to drive, you crash out at work."

"Got it," he said sealing it with another kiss. "Uh …"

"I won't take on more than I can handle Adam. I'll empty the boxes you brought down, I'll do them one at a time, and I'll put stuff away before I start a new box. No ladders. No more Godzilla-attacking-Tokyo type messes. And I won't attempt the attic."

Concerned `"Emi … I … I don't want you to think that …"

This time it was Emi who kissed him. "Relax. I'm not going to melt because my flakiness has you asking for stipulations, and what you've asked makes sense. One box at a time and I don't get overwhelmed. And it is easier to clean up if I do make a mess. This is your home too. I know having everything thrown every which way makes it hard for you to relax when you are here. It doesn't do too much for me either."

He turned and was going to run upstairs but then reached for her and gave her a hug.

Emi asked with a laugh, "What's that for?"

"For this. All of it. I … I never had this Emi. Never … started to never think I would."

"This?"

"This. And I don't want you to ever think that I'm taking it for granted. The house, picket fence, someone that cares enough to put some leftovers in a lunch box for me, worry about me like … like I'm …"

Emi reached up and put her hand on his cheek. "Like you're part of them and them part of you? Because that's what you've been and what you are for me Adam Ross. You make it worth getting up out of bed, make it easier to breathe, make life more than a misery to be survived. You've helped me to learn to live with my sorrows." She stopped and shook her head a little embarrassed at how serious she'd turned things, and because she worried about him going away too serious to a job that was already so very, very serious; and then grinned a little naughtily before saying, "You're ground rules may drive me crazy but I figure I'm wearing you down so … maybe not too very crazy. After all what's a little … hmmmm … torture between friends." Then she kissed him.

When they finally broke apart Adam laughed like a man who was in serious need of oxygen. Stat. "Ha … ha … oh man … gotta get to work. So … behave so my brain stays in solid form. I'll call you tonight when I go on break."

He gave her a hug then ran to change for work, nearly missing one of the risers, while she got his dinner ready. She actually did kinda mind that their afternoon had been disrupted – she'd had plans to see just how far he would let her test those blasted ground rules – but since the bills had to be paid … She mentally winced and quickly lost the smile that had been on her face. She slowly force herself not to worry at it like a dog with a bone and focus on the positives. She had just received a pretty big commission that morning, one that wasn't time sensitive, and involved more analysis than physical reconstruction. She wasn't thrilled about who the commission came from but beggars couldn't be choosers.

In short order Adam was out the door to start a long swing shift … didn't look like it was going to be a double but it would be close. Emi decided to do a couple of boxes and then get down to the commission. She was half way through the second box … fairly innocuous things like shoes that didn't cause an emotional response except when she realized that Reni and the twins would always remain the same size and age in her memories … when the doorbell rang. She walked to the front checking the security camera that Adam had added that could be viewed using her phone. Seeing who it was she said through the intercom, "Be right there Christine."

She noticed Christine looking all over trying to find the camera and smiled a little. Adam liked his jokes and pranks but this one also had a serious side that she was beginning to appreciate.

Emi opened the front door and asked the woman in. "Excuse the house."

Smiling gently, she said, "Don't worry about it. Mac and I are still meshing our belongings. Totally different styles and far too many duplications. Trying to decide what to keep, what to put in storage, and what to donate to charity can create some real trauma."

Emi grinned. "Thank goodness that Adam is a minimalist in some areas … like the kitchen … so that part isn't too bad. Most of his stuff is of the electronic variety and his album collection and that's going in the Man Cave we are turning the basement into. It's really left over junk from the four generations that have lived in this house that is the challenge I'm looking at."

"Oh. Uh …"

Emi said, "Sorry. TMI. Uh … what brings you by? Um … did Mac send you to check on me?"

This time it was Christine who grinned. "Not literally but …"

"But?"

"I think he has some regrets about … well … he said he was a little harsh the other day and …"

Thinking fast, wondering what she could say and what she shouldn't Emi finally just blurted, "Oh. Look … hmm … I'm not made of spun sugar … I guess that means cotton candy or something equally as melty and … well … I'm not … melty I mean … and Mac has a powerful glower … could give ol' Emperor Palpitine a run for his money … so … anyway … I'm more concerned with my own behavior than how Mac reacted to it … I mean not that his feelings on the subject aren't important … he's like the boss of the crime lab … I mean it's his job."

Christine continued to grin. "Breathe Emi. I'm well aware of Mac's … well … his looks. It sometimes takes a bit for him to wind down when he gets home. But you aren't one of his employees and Mac is concerned how he may have appeared."

Emi shrugged. "His space. His rules. No harm. No foul. I made cookies trying to apologize but Adam said Mac just acted weird so I haven't said anything more."

"About that … I'm afraid he acted 'weird' because he was …"

"Hacked off?"

"Embarrassed. And it wasn't the cookies but the note you sent with them. He sometimes doesn't realize what an impact his words have outside of the workplace. Your note reminded him." She paused and said, "I think he was also concerned when you worried that your actions would get Adam in trouble."

Emi shrugged again and then sighed. "I'm … look, I just don't want my flakiness to bleed all over everyone. I spoke with Jo and I think I've fixed things there though it's hard to tell with her. Politeness can be a weapon too."

Christine laughed completely understanding Emi's ambivalence about Jo. She herself experienced a little jealousy given how easily Jo could read Mac. She appreciates it now, it makes her feel that Mac has someone at work that won't let him drive himself too hard, but in the beginning it was difficult not to be concerned with their easy comradery.

Emi asked, "Um, how much do you know? Did … er … did Mac say anything?"

"I know it has to do with a case and … and I know about why you were there at the lab. No … please don't get upset. Mac is learning to be more open with me and I suspect this was more about him getting a woman's perspective than whatever it is you are worried about. Are you feeling better?"

Emi sighed and realized you couldn't really run from the truth and in a unit as tight as the crime lab word was going to get around. She shook her head. "Drugs are out of my system so that's fine. Adam and I have talked and … and we're working on things so that's fine also. I …" Emi leaned back against the wall and Christine got a glimpse of how embarrassed she still was. "I'm not going to another therapist. I don't know that it would work. I'm not sure I could bring myself to trust one to be honest. It took a lot for me to talk to Dr. Carrolls about the things that I did. Adam … well he's trying. We've … look, would you like to come to the kitchen? It's about the only room in the house that is really clean and we can sit and have coffee or tea?"

"That would be lovely."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Emi and Christine chatted for a bit and then Christine said she had an older couple ask about the painting she'd done for her and Mac. "They're pretty persistent so I'm certain they are serious. And they have contacts in the City. It couldn't hurt to meet them and see." So Emi agreed to come that evening to the restaurant to meet the couple. She partly agreed just for Christine's sake as it seemed the woman was thinking about turning her into a project. Emi wanted to prove to Christine she didn't need to be anyone's project, that contrary to recent events and behavior she was capable of acting like an adult and paying her own way through life.

A few hours later Emi was on the phone with Adam while he was on break so that she could run the result of the meeting by him. _"Emi, that's great!"_

"I suppose. They seem like fairly sensible people; they just want a portrait of their granddaughter. She's a little imp." Emi said finally laughing. "She told me in no uncertain terms she would not take her leg brace off just to make the picture prettier and that she wanted her hair to be orange like it was supposed to be … not chestnut or brown."

Chuckling appreciatively at Emi's characterization of the little girl, _"Kid seems to know what she wants."_

"And then some. So you're ok with me … you know … doing artsy stuff?"

 _"_ _I'm ok if you are. You … you aren't doing this just to …"_ Adam took a deep breath then rushed out, " _This isn't just about the money is it?"_

Trying to be honest Emi responded, "I wouldn't have taken the commission if the little girl wasn't so interesting. But … other than that? I'm sorry Adam, most of it is probably about the money. Maybe it shouldn't be but it is."

Emi was concerned that he wasn't understanding when Adam told her, _"I'm not Gary."_

Explaining the best she could she told him, "I know you're not and that's why this is a big deal to me. I want to at least be able to contribute. _I_ don't want to be like Gary."

Silence on the other end and then Adam said seriously, _"You shoulda said that was what was bothering you in the first place Emi. I can wrap my head around that concept and at least now I know it isn't me specifically you have a problem with."_

"Oh Adam … maybe I should have," she agreed regretting that she'd caused him to worry. "I'm just now getting to the place where I can put into words what has been bothering me. I … I still feel all … I feel like my brain has been in a blender since the kidnapping. I … I'm trying Adam. Just give me more time. I'm not intentionally being a brainless wonder."

 _"_ _Hey, don't talk about yourself like that. It isn't healthy. So long as you're talking to me about stuff you can have all the time you need. Uh … I … dammit …"_

Emi could hear voices in the background and realized what it meant. "They're looking for you. So go. And Adam?"

 _"_ _Yeah?"_

"Just in case I've never come right out and said it, or if I haven't said it enough, thanks. For … for being you. Don't forget that for nothing. OK?"

 _"_ _Emi?"_

"Go. Before Mac gets laser beam eyes."

 _"_ _We're talking about this some more. When I get home."_

"Will you just go? We can talk all you want but I'm not going to get you in trouble at work."

She heard Adam swallow and then he said, _"Emi … I … I love you."_

They'd just started saying it and it was still very new. "I … I love you too Adam." When he hung up on his end Emi stared at the handset for a while. Then she looked and saw the broom closet door was open. She got up on a run and slammed it shut then leaned back against it breathing hard.

# # # # # # # #

It was Mac who had been looking for Adam. Oddly enough Mac's first question wasn't about the analysis that Adam had been running but about the woman Adam had just gotten off the phone with. "How's Emi?"

"Huh? Uh … I … look Mac I wasn't … I was on break not …"

"Adam will you relax? I'm not jumping down your throat. You're on break. Do I get onto Jo for calling Ellie or monitor Danny and Lindsey calling about Lucy and Luke?"

Adam shrugged. "That's different. Ellie, Lucy, and Luke are kids. Emi and I aren't kids."

"And I'm sorry if … look, I know that I sometimes … dammit. This is not what I meant to turn this into. I was simply asking about Emi."

Adam looked at Mac and sighed. "And … look I didn't mean to turn it into something it wasn't if … you know what I mean Mac. I … I guess I'm just …" Adam stopped. Mac could see him making a great effort before watching him calm down. "Sorry Mac. I _am_ worried about her. This thing with the therapist … I'm … look I'm angry about it. I _knew_ something was wrong but I didn't know what it was or how to fix it. What that woman did to her … Mac I've gotten her to talk about some of it. That woman was intentionally undercutting Emi's self-confidence. Making her feel like she was just some messed up freak."

"Perhaps she has had some training. It is an area to explore."

"No Mac. It's more than that. Some of the things that she did … it's like she knew Emi. I mean knew her backstory and what was going on in her life for years. She knew exactly where the chinks in Emi's armor are … and how to exploit them because of knowing other stuff about it. She knew stuff that looking back Emi swears they never spoke about directly because it was about stuff that Emi just doesn't discuss … her childhood being one of them, and her time in the group home being another."

Mac gave that aspect some thought. "And Emi didn't recognize the woman? Could it have been someone from her past that she has simply forgotten?"

Adam shook his head. "I guess people forget or don't understand when I say that Emi has an eidetic memory. I mean she literally just doesn't forget stuff."

Skeptically Mac asked, "Total recall? That's generally considered a scientific myth."

Adam nodded. "I know and what Emi has isn't photographic or even total recall … for instance she recognizes smells and sounds but only because she's trained herself. Mostly her memory involves something that is visual or auditory. For instance, she can't dance but loves music and can play just about anything she's heard once or twice by ear … and she plays several instruments. They used to think she was a savant autistic but the label never stuck because Emi can be social … I mean she outgrew most of the problems she had interacting inappropriately with people in her own peer group. Look Mac, at the risk of boring the hell out of you what I'm trying to explain is Emi is just freaking smart. What she sees or hears … whether that is reading or some other task … she not only remembers but understands once she had enough similar input to build that understanding. She would blow Hawkes out of the water in a math drill and he's practically a walking calculator. I caught her reading my lab manuals from grad school the other day. I asked her why and she said so she could understand some of what I was talking about."

"She's never done lab work?"

"Not too much outside of the university setting except for what she needed as far as reconstruction goes. I don't understand the way she processes things exactly but it goes something like this … before she does a reconstruction she gathers all of this miscellaneous information on the subject to be constructed. It doesn't matter whether she is reconstructing someone known or not, but if they are known then she delves into their actual lives as much as possible. She calls them her data points. She takes these data points and then overlays them on top of the physical data points. Somehow in her mind the two sets mesh and produces a much more accurate construct than the physical data points alone can create. She calls it a 4D picture of a person versus the 3D or 2D provided by similar computer programs. And she didn't learn this in the university setting, it is something her father taught her."

"Uh …"

"I know. It's weird. It's a simply answer to what most would consider a complex problem. Her dad was self-taught from a real early age because his family used to live like in the swamp where there weren't schools and stuff. He never went to college and was real blue collar but some of the things Emi said he used to do … it makes me wonder if maybe some of why she was successful at overcoming the challenges she faced as a kid was because he was an outside-the-box thinker. He saw a problem and just plugged away at it until he found a solution … and what all he did for Emi was his way of teaching her to interact appropriately with the people around. It's like he had to teach her how to understand the world around her by using methods different from what most of us would use. I don't know if you've noticed or not but Emi's walls are pretty high."

The look Mac gave Adam made him smile. "So yeah, you've noticed. What you might not know is that those walls are there for a reason. In her mind the walls aren't there to protect her from other people, the walls are there to protect other people from her. Most people wouldn't understand that however if they even noticed. Emi can act like she is being really transparent but … that isn't necessarily what is happening."

Pieces slowly began fitting in place. "You and Emi have a lot more in common than any of us have realized."

"Er …"

"It's ok Adam. It wasn't a criticism. What I'm saying is that I … I'm glad you found someone that understands you."

Adam nodded but was still frustrated. "Thank you. But that's what is driving me crazy about this whole therapist thing. As much as Emi gets me … I get Emi. But this this woman … therapist … whatever she was … she got to Emi about things that I would have to say 99.9% of the world would have no way of recognizing goes on in Emi's head. She even used me against Emi in ways that … Mac this woman knew Emi and knew her intimately, things I didn't even know. Emi didn't recognize her … and Emi's got a special thing for faces and bone structure … so that means the information had to come from someone else. Who that could be … well I can think of a few without trying very hard. That Jeannie Scott getting the info out is one option. Someone from that spook group is another. Then there's Gary."

Mac frowned. "You didn't care very much for Emi's husband."

"If that's a question then the answer is … I used to. We used to be really good friends actually. A little before Reni got sick though …" Adam glanced around before giving Mac a very serious look. "Mac I'm asking you not to let this go any further."

"Is this something that you think pertains to the case?"

"It could. See … Gary … he was sick. Mentally ill. But he could have been better if he'd just complied with treatment. And he had for a long time and what set him off to stop I can't tell you and Emi claims she doesn't know either. And I don't blame him for being mentally ill but he still knew right from wrong. He was grounded in reality enough to know he couldn't take his medication and drink at the same time. He'd stop taking his meds for a while so he could drink. Well one time he went on a real bender and came home and tried to beat the crap out of Emi. The reason he gave … it shook her up. He blamed her for Felicia dying which isn't true at all but Gary started to believe it and it got to be a bigger and bigger issue between them. That night ... it was bad. Emi grabbed Reni and I came home to find her hiding in a closet in my apartment … this is before Michelle moved in. Emi and I … we got him committed but they wouldn't keep him more than a week, just long enough to get him medication compliant. Right after that he started having an affair … and that part I'm not totally sure that Emi knows about and even after all this time and what happened I'm pretty certain it would hurt her to find out."

"Do you know who he was having an affair with?"

"Not a name but a general description because I saw them one time when I was out with Michelle. The thing is … he met the girl when he was locked up and as far as I'm aware the affair went on up to the day he blew his brains out."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. I backtracked his steps trying to find where he got the gun from since it wasn't one of Emi's"

"Emi is licensed?"

"Yeah. Those feds got it set up for her. She's got a federal license, not just one from the State of New York. I never was able to track down where he got the gun from. But see … Emi still has the gun. I … I want to bring it in and run ballistics on it; see if it was used in any other crime in the database. But I'm not going to do it if you think I'm just jumping at shadows. Because I know I've been all over the board with my explanation. You just asked me about Emi and instead you get a bunch of what Emi calls the soap opera of her life."

Mac was silent for so long that Adam thought he'd have to go find a different theory to work on. Instead he asked Adam to come to his office so they could speak privately.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"Adam how much do you know about Emi's work with the feds?"

Weighing his words carefully Adam answered, "Enough to know that what she has told me is the truth … _and_ enough to know she hasn't told me everything there is to tell. The job she got this morning was from those people though it is pretty innocuous which means they threw her a bone as a way to keep track of her … and possibly as a way to help her out. Emi believes that while that group is very territorial – and can be actively scary if they think they or the people they protect are being threatened – not all of the players involved are all bad. She claims they've taken care of her a few times in exchange for her helping them out … and then did a little more than was strictly professionally necessary." Looking Mac directly in the eyes he added, "I'm cool with not knowing so long as they continue to look after her and her interests. And for the record Emi knows she and I are being watched."

Mac was able to knock one item off of his list of things to be stressed about. "I wondered whether to mention it or not."

Adam snorted. "Ha! Bet you figured it would make me nervous." A little more seriously he said, "And it does but only because I keep imagining them catching me doing something totally stupid and ratting me out to Emi. But I am making myself handle it. Emi explained what would likely happen after she made the call the other day. She thinks someone in the group might be a 'handler' type that keeps an eye on her. She's never really been in deep trouble that someone hasn't shown up."

Concerned Mac asked, "Deep trouble?"

"One time Turcell's weirdos did more than write letters; two of them showed up at a dig site – well a graveyard – where she was working. This was right before we met and she doesn't like to talk about it so I don't know all the details but Emi wound up with stitches in her knee. Then there was the mess when Gary committed suicide. It was stretching Emi's finances to pay for Reni's funeral and stuff but to suddenly have to deal with Gary's and all of the mess surrounding it? Some suit shows up at her place that same night and just takes care of things. She freaked a bit at them paying for things but the suit says something to the effect to consider it merely payment in advance for services that will be rendered. After that she got slammed with commissions from several different federal grants. You don't mess with those people and apparently if they think of you as one of their charges then no one better mess with you either. I'm kinda relieved that someone has eyes on her when I'm not around though I hope it doesn't have to stay this way long term. Emi doesn't care for it but understands why it is like it is. And so do I. At least when it comes to the whole being-attacked-by-crazy-people-for-no-reason thing."

Mac nodded filing that bit of information for further thought at another time. "Then my next question to you is do you think that the group watching Emi would suspect Gary the way you do."

Scratching his beard Adam admitted, "To be honest Mac the thing with Gary is just one possibility; I'm not married to it as the only possibility. I'm more than willing to be convinced that I'm reading something into it that isn't there."

"If you were looking for me to do the convincing I'm sorry to disappoint you. It is a theory that we need to test so that we can either close out that line of questioning or have reason to take the investigation further down that path. Will Emi take exception to you bringing the gun in?"

Adam looked uncomfortable. "I'd prefer not to tell Emi about it unless I do find anything. She's still rattled … about the whole Dr. Carrolls not being Dr. Carrolls, the pills, the possible tie in with her past, and some other stuff. I don't want to dredge up the past any more than necessary."

"All right. Do it. But you are going to work with Danny on this."

Momentarily upset Adam said, "I'm not going to freak …"

Mac shook his head. "Adam, it isn't what you're thinking. I have confidence in your abilities in the lab … and in your ability to keep your emotions out of it, at least in so far as the rest of us could do it if we were in your shoes. That said, having Danny as a second set of hands on the tests will be less suspicious if the results wind up being important to this case." Sardonically Mac added, "It'll also spread the blame around just in case Emi takes exception to what we're doing."

Adam nodded as he grinned. "Thanks Boss. And … well Emi … she …" He stopped and shook his head and returned to serious. "I'll bring it in tomorrow. Ballistics will at least rule out the gun being used in any crime in the database even if it doesn't exonerate Gary of everything his damage caused. I'd just as soon not find something. I'm worried at how betrayed Emi will feel if something does come up."

# # # # # # #

In another part of the lab Sheldon Hawkes was going over the autopsy findings for the real Dr. Carrolls. An agent from Frank Morton's team had delivered them shortly after Adam arrived at work. Hawkes agreed that Dr. Carrolls death could have easily been mistaken for a mugging gone bad, plus her body had been found in a neighborhood known for violence, dressed as a local. The body had been dumped and it had been in that location 3 to 4 weeks before it had been discovered … or at least reported; plenty of time for evidence to be compromised and for COD to be questionable.

However, without the actual body, which had been cremated upon identification according to the sister's instructions, he was not going to be finding anything new. This was really just a formality and they'd have to find their information from another source.

# # # # # # # #

The reunion at the airport was a sweet one.

"Montana!"

"Danny!"

"Daddy!"

Danny takes both kids from Lindsey who looks frazzled enough that it doesn't take a load of bricks falling on him for Danny to notice. "How's my Lucy girl?! And I swear … Luke weighs a ton! I missed you guys."

Lindsey, more than a little tired from the long flight, just rolled her eyes. "Some of that is from the family spoiling him. Some of it is because your son is a pig. I practically had to cork him the entire flight."

"Hey .. ho … that's my boy!" Upon hearing this Luke let off a rather large noise from the end covered by his diaper. The look on Danny's face was priceless and despite her fatigue and irritation from the flight Lindsey is soon practically falling down with laughter.

After a pit stop in one of the airport restrooms, Danny gets his family into the car and then home. Not too long after entering the apartment both children are tucked in and sleeping giving Lindsey and Danny time to catch up.

"Babe you look amazing. I missed you," he said going right for the physical romance that he'd been thinking about since setting eyes on her.

Playing coy Lindsey teased, "Tired of your own cooking I take it."

"Ha! You're funny. And yes. I am."

"I thought you were going to be spending some time at Adam's and Emi's place?"

That's when Danny lost a little of the mood he was in and decided it was better – at least until they were sure the kids would stay asleep – that he fill Lindsey in on what he'd found out about Emi. "I swear, I never would have taken her for someone to go off the deep end like that."

"Everyone has their moments, including us. How's Adam taking it?"

"He seems to be doing ok. I'd ask but to be honest I'm still a little blown away by Emi's story. I mean I know foster care isn't easy but to find out she was one of those kids … you know … the mental ones. I don't know, it makes me feel funny."

Lindsey gave Danny "the look". "Which is probably why she didn't feel like she could reveal it to us. I mean how do you tell someone that?"

"How 'bout 'Hey, I know I'm babysitting your babies and stuff so I just want you to know I was a mental case when I was a kid and still go off on the deep end on occasion.'"

"Danny!"

"Well?! It's true."

Lindsey sighed. "Don't make this into something it's not. Let me at least talk to her and see what's going on."

"Fine. Maybe you can find out more. I haven't wanted to ask Adam because I don't want to … you know …"

"Get him pissed at you by calling his girlfriend mentally ill?"

"Uh … yeah. Something like that."

Lindsey herself had a few reservations but she'd seen Emi in action with the kids. She knew what she was doing. She seemed to honestly care about them. But … as awful as it was to think … she did need to know the whole story before she'd trust Emi with their kids again. But that was a thought for thinking another time. For now she and Danny were going to enjoy being together and making plans for the upcoming holidays.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The next day Lindsey arrived at the lab a little tired but relaxed and actually excited about getting back to work. But first she had a delicate matter to attend to.

"Jo? Got a sec?"

Jo wrapped her in a hug and gave her a huge grin. "Hey girl! How was your time away?"

Laughing, Lindsey answered, "Wonderful, frustrating, happy, sad, couldn't wait to get there, couldn't wait to come home … you know, the whole family thing."

"I hear that."

"Um …" Lindsey stopped and looked around then put her back to the window. "Jo … oh Lord, this is going to sound awful."

Knowingly Jo said, "You're about to ask me about Emi."

"Yeah."

"You want the facts or my opinion?"

"Is there a difference? Either way I'd like both."

Jo gave her a synopsis of what had occurred the day that Emi came to the lab. "Now here is my opinion. Emi has some leftover issues from her childhood and from the kidnapping. It has made her vulnerable … or at least more vulnerable than she is used to feeling. Someone set out to exploit those vulnerabilities and do her very real harm. Mac told me that the diazepam was laced with Cipro which is something that Emi is allergic enough to that she used to wear a medical alert bracelet about it. The perp only got as far as they did with our girl because of the meds and her reaction to them otherwise I suspect Emi would have eventually told the therapist what they could do with their suggestions and manipulations; whether it would have been sooner or later I can't say but she would have come out of it on her own. Bottom line is Emi is still the same young woman we've known all along, we're simply now more aware of how she got to be who she is."

Lindsey sat back contemplating what Jo had said. "Danny … I don't think he is very comfortable with that part of it."

"It's always easier to simply consider someone crazy than it is to discover why someone is crazy. But Emi isn't crazy. In some respects …" Jo stopped and tried to order her thoughts. "Lindsey, could you have survived what she had to face from the age of twelve onward? I'm not talking about her … er … unique attributes, but witnessing your family getting murdered, being physically and mentally tormented throughout your adolescent years and then as you finally reach young adulthood and escape have it come right back and kick you in the teeth and shadow you in some form or another for your foreseeable future?"

Having her own trauma help to form who she was Lindsey said, "You can survive it but it leaves a mark."

"It does. It terrifies and saddens me to think what would have happened to Ellie if I hadn't adopted her. The life her mother had plunged into … and … well it just doesn't bear thinking about."

"Are you saying that Emi has something wrong with her because of what she's experienced?"

Jo shook her head. "I'm saying that she should have more wrong with her given what she has experienced and yet we've all seen that while she is most definitely … well the girl can be endearingly strange on occasion that's for certain. And pig headed doesn't even scratch the surface of how stubborn she can be. But the fact that she continues to try and interact constructively with the world around her gives us one of two options to believe. One, she's been trained since birth to fake her humanity really well. Or …"

"Or?" Lindsey prompted.

"Or she realizes she has limitations but doesn't use them as an excuse to fail in life, and when she does fail she doesn't just lay there waiting for someone else to pick her up or put the blame on. And that could also be a form of parental training. Emi puts her family on a pedestal every bit as much if not more than Adam puts Mac and Danny. I've never heard her have a harsh word to say about them and we both know the vast majority of people blame their parents for what their life has been. Instead Emi seems to think everything wrong was a result of her own faults and choices. Whether that is realistic or not I don't know, I wasn't there, but her father definitely helped her to create her … er … unique set of coping skills."

Lindsey nodded. "I understand what you're saying but … I have Lucy and Luke to think about. I don't know if I'm ready to just trust her the way that I did before."

There was a loud noise that had several people sticking their heads out of the various labs. Adam had just dropped the platter of cookies he'd been taking into the breakroom. "Whoa, sorry. Didn't mean to wake everybody up. I made the mess, I'll clean it."

There was a lot of grumbling from people, including Danny, about the loss of the cookies and Adam said, "Well maybe you shouldn't have started to feel entitled to them."

Adam walked off to get a broom and dust pan leaving Danny to look after him asking, "What the hell was that all about?"

Thinking of pedestals Jo winced realizing what may very well have happened. She debated saying something to Lindsey but she'd promised Adam she wouldn't reveal his ability to read lips. But when Lindsey got up to go talk to Danny she decided that she wasn't their mother and they were adults and would need to work it out for themselves. She herself had been a little surprised at Danny and Lindsey's reaction to Emi's past but she wondered if she'd have been any less critical if Ellie was Lucy's age.

# # # # # # #

Mac came down the hall just as Adam was cleaning the last of the crumbs off of the floor. He said, "That's some loss." When Adam just shrugged Mac asked, "Everything ok?"

Adam's personal walls were firmly in place when he turned to Mac and said, "Everything is fine. You know I was thinking about what you said yesterday, how it would be better to have a second set of eyes on the ballistic tests."

"So you did bring the gun in?"

Adam sighed. "Emi … she uh … she knows. We … had a long talk last night. I just couldn't hide it from her Mac but … they got there ahead of me. Apparently someone from the feds contacted her and … dammit, they told her about the affair and some other stuff neither one of us knew about. They encouraged her to have me turn the gun over to you and the lab but to keep the results professional and unquestionable."

"Come into my office and tell me. Then you and Danny can …"

"No. I mean about that … it might just be better all around to have the gun tested by the guys in ballistics. Like a blind study where the origin doesn't have any influence on the outcome. Plus this will keep me … and Danny … free to keep up with the cases we are currently working on."

Mac nodded thoughtfully. "A point well made. But come tell me the rest of it."

# # # # # # # #

"I got in from work last night and found her in her work room. I haven't seen her like this … hyper focused and energetic … in a while. I thought it was good until … she'd been crying … was crying. I thought at first it was her going through boxes and stuff from her family which has been pretty hard on her but then I … I saw what she was sketching."

Mac saw a look on Adam's face he wasn't used to seeing. Jealousy. "What was she sketching?"

"Gary. Gary and Reni. Felicia. The four of them together. Then … then I saw a series of sketches she did and it was of Gary and another woman. I recognized her."

Understanding what Adam was alluding to he asked, "She knew about the affair?"

"No. I mean not before. When she turned and caught me looking at the drawing … she realized I knew. There's a lot of … personal stuff that …" Adam fiercely debated with himself a moment before saying, "Emi and Gary were married but … but it wasn't a real marriage … on the physical side I mean. Gary … he … Felicia was everything to him and … look it doesn't make sense but Emi accepted it the way she accepted a lot of the crap that Gary put her through and just lived with it. She made what he was enough for her and let it go at that. But those suits … they told her about the affair and … and Emi's view of the marriage … she tries so hard … and then to know that I knew …"

"Are you two ok?"

Adam nodded. "She knows the past can't be undone and understands that I thought I was protecting her back then. But she's still hurt … and confused. As much as Gary would let her she … she … she loved him I guess. And finding out that … that it wasn't that he was unable to feel anything for her in return but that it was he just didn't want to … yeah, she's hurt. But she'll survive." A little fiercely he added, "Because she has me and I … er … sorry Boss."

"Don't be," Mac told him with more understanding than Adam was comfortable with. "So you brought the gun in and Emi accepts that it could have been Gary or someone Gary was … er … connected to that gave away her private information."

"Yeah. But 'considering it' is about all she'll commit to right now. Despite what she found out I don't think she wants to believe that Gary could have done it." Then looking at Mac directly Adam admitted, "And maybe the way she feels makes me want it to have been Gary too much. So let the techs in ballistics do the testing. And … and don't have anyone else get involved."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

For the remainder of that day and the next Adam avoided as much direct interaction with Danny and Lindsey as he could get away with without drawing attention to what he was doing. Since both Danny and Lindsey worked out in the field most of the hours their paths would have crossed it wasn't hard to get away with. On the third day Danny made a comment wondering when Emi was going to send more cookies. Lindsey was passing by and saw a look of anger on Adam's face that was so brief she thought for a moment that she'd imagined it.

But when Adam said, "Emi is working. She's busy." And then got himself called away she knew something was up.

"Danny?"

"Hey, don't look at me. Maybe Emi's cut off his supply or something."

Lindsey shook her head. "I don't think that's it."

"Whatever. Something is up. I just hope Adam isn't getting blindsided by finding out that Emi is …"

"Danny!" Lindsey hissed looking around to make sure no one heard. "Will you stop that already before someone hears you?!"

Kendall walked up and startled them both by saying, "Too late. Even the lab techs on the night shift are talking about it. And somehow, some way it has gotten back to Adam. But it wasn't me. I wouldn't do that to him, not these days … hell, not even when we were in the middle of fighting. There's hurting someone and then there's hurting someone. Good luck fixing this mess you've made. You're gonna need it." She shook her head and walked off leaving her two horrified co-workers behind.

# # # # # # #

Adam was adept at avoiding people he didn't want to deal with and escaped the lab by volunteering to take some paperwork to the precinct. He'd signed the box over to the detective in charge of that investigation and was about to leave when a man wearing a suit that screamed FED! stopped him and asked if he would meet with him and Don Flack for a few moments.

Adam glanced over at Flack. "Adam, we gotta talk to the man."

So Adam followed the two men into one of the interrogation rooms. Don rearranged the chairs so there wasn't a table between the them but to Adam it still felt like a two on one operation.

"'S up?" he asked trying to keep his voice casual and disinterested; however, Adam was nervous and worried.

"Mr. Ross, my name is Agent Fielding. This would not have been my first choice of venues to introduce myself but I suspect in order for you to take me seriously you'd want someone you trust being a third party. Your crime lab has too many interested parties so this was the best option I could come up with. And I'd like you to hear me out before making a rash decision." At Adam's cautious nod he continued. "I've known Emerald O'Ryan since she was sixteen when I was still a beat cop here in the City. And of her for a number of years before that. I'd … I'd like to know how she is doing."

"You're kidding me right?" Adam wasn't sure what to expect of the conversation but that particular question immediately set him off. Outrage was his main emotion, especially at the fact that this man would ask _after_ they'd done a number on Emi last night.

Agent Fielding appeared to know exactly what Adam was upset about. "Mr. Ross, I have a lot of pull where Emerald is concerned but that particular decision was out of my hands."

"Well she feels like she's been run over. Thanks for that. It's not like she wasn't already dealing with a load of crap. She hardly slept last night and she woke up with a fever. If it isn't gone when I get home, I'm taking her to the doctor. Too much … too much of everything. Her doctors all warned that … that …"

"I'm aware that Emerald is still physically fragile, that a bad shock could re-lapse the pneumonia she had in the hospital after the kidnapping. If you need any …"

Jealously Adam said, "I'm taking care of her. Not you."

Agent Fielding stopped and then seemed to relax. "Maybe it will help if I tell you how I know her. My grandfather owned the business where her father worked. Pop would come home from work with stories of the kid that one of his guys would bring to work sometimes. I didn't know whether to believe him or not … a little kid like that brokered big deals, saved him from losing his shirt on some fake artwork, 'playing' with the displays and turning them into real attractions that brought the public and not just private buyers. Then I met her once at a Christmas party. She was an amazingly strange and funny little thing. When her family was killed … well Pop was bad broke up. The whole warehouse family was. No one we asked would say where Emerald had gone, even as a cop I couldn't find out, we all assumed that they'd found family to take her. I didn't find out different until I got called the night a certain person attacked her in the group home. Shortly after that for other reasons I was recruited by the people I now work with. And then the original Ying Yang incident and our paths crossed again."

"You're the one looking out for her."

"Yes. But I'm not the only one Mr. Ross. You need to understand that. The reasons why aren't pertinent to this case, but being aware of that will make things go smoother. By the way, you've been cleared. And if you ever need a job …"

"God no!"

Agent Fielding smiled then nodded. "That's the general consensus of what your response would be so the offer has never been made. But you might want to keep it in the back of your mind for future reference should the need arise. It isn't like other agencies haven't tried to recruit you over the years."

Flack looked quickly at Adam in complete surprise but all he saw was Adam shrug. Well, well, well … the King of the Lab Rats had more than one secret apparently.

Then Flack had a thought and shook his head. "Danny should be the one here."

Adam stiffened for a moment before saying, "I don't need a babysitter any more than Emi does."

The comment didn't set well with Flack but now wasn't the time to examine it. "That's not what I'm talking about and you know it. It's just if you are going to get into that Brainiac stuff he'd be the better choice."

Adam snorted. "Don't try and pull the dumb Irish cowboy thing Don. You've got more street smarts than almost anyone I know. And you understand things more than you want people to see. Just because you can't spit it out in the same format you hear it in doesn't mean that you don't grasp the concepts and use them when you need to." Flack's jaw dropped at how matter-of-factly the observation was given.

Adam turned back to Agent Fielding. "Fine. So you've known Emi since she was a little kid. I might even believe you don't mean her any intentional harm. But you didn't really want to talk to me for a family conference. You think Emi is in danger and someone isn't listening as much as you want them to. So is it Emi or the people you work with?"

Flack thought Ross had really been eating his Wheaties lately – or that he'd gotten a little crazy. Giving guys like this agent that kind of blowback wasn't healthy under the best of circumstances and under the current one it could really screw with your future. However, Agent Fielding just smiled.

"You see it all right. It's Emi."

Adam sighed. "She's … considering the possibility … about a lot of things. But I'm more concerned with what she'll do if she does think she is in danger."


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Note: Hi everyone. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing ... you know who you are and I want to tell you that you are appreciated! This chapter will be the last one until after Christmas. Possibly until after New Years Day, I'm not sure. I'm finishing baking all of the Christmas cookies today ... something like a hundred dozen when we finally finish. I'm putting on a big spread for the family tomorrow night. For anyone interested it is Puerco Asado (pork that has been marinated in sour orange juice and garlic then roasted), and all of the other fixings you'd find on the table to go with that dish like yellow rice, black beans, Spanish bean soup, Cuban bread, homemade empanadas ... yum, yum. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

Agent Fielding told Adam, "You must impress on her that she can't run away."

Adam rolled his eyes. "Then people need to stop putting the idea in her head. Every time someone tells her that's what she isn't supposed to do, that's exactly what she starts thinking that maybe she should do."

Agent Fielding sighed. "Which is precisely why I'm putting that part of this directly in your hands. In all the years I've known her you are the only person besides her father that has been able to manage her."

"I don't 'manage' Emi."

Agent Fielding shrugged. "Call it whatever you want. You understand her enough that you … encourage her to examine an action before she takes it. You give her a reason to … remain grounded. I noticed it after her daughter died. It was discussed whether we would simply bring her in but the action was cancelled after how you handled her was reported."

"Do you people …?!" Adam wanted to stomp away in high dudgeon but stopped himself. There were things in life you just couldn't run away from. The fact that Emi had certain connections, for whatever reason was looking like it was one of them. That didn't mean Adam wasn't hacked at all the invasion of privacy he was feeling. "Look, just spit it out. What can I do to protect Emi? I'll handle the rest. And stay out of our private life. It's none of your damn business."

Agent Fielding nodded. "If you are willing to play ball I'll see if we can't back off after this case is over with." Adam knew that was probably as good as he was going to get right now so he just nodded and crossed his arms, waiting. "You have the ballistic report on the gun Gary used?"

Adam snorted. "You should know. The gun was flagged and then taken into custody by DHS. No explanation given. Can't tell you how happy that made my boss."

The agent shook his head. "That's not what I'm asking. Do you know what the information you uncovered means?"

Adam glanced at Flack who was looking interested but keeping silent. "When the ballistics lab didn't come up with anything Mac and I did a little after hours work on it and were able to reveal the gun's serial number under the efforts that had been made to destroy the stamping. When we ran the number it turned out to have been reported stolen five years ago. It isn't who reported it stolen so much as who it belonged to when it was stolen."

Agent Fielding nodded then looked at Flack, "What Mr. Ross isn't saying is that the gun belonged to one of the victims of the original Ying Yang case. This bit of information will not be made public."

Flack got the picture. He was getting hooked in dammit. He hated cases like this when the feds got involved. So much you knew, so much you couldn't say or use as evidence, so much that never made it into the report.

Turning back to Adam the agent said, "This lends credence to the theory that Jeannie Scott didn't act alone."

While Adam looked thoughtful Flack asked, "Any suspects for a partner?"

"No serious contenders but … I have a few names."

Adam looked at the agent and asked, "Do any of them match the description of the woman that Gary had an affair with?"

The agent nodded approvingly. "As a matter of fact one of them does but she supposedly has an iron clad alibi."

Coming to a quick decision Adam said, "Fine. I'm going home. I'm going to sit down with Emi and hash this out. You keep an eye on her when I'm not around and I'll … play whatever game you have going."

"Yo, Ross," Flack said suddenly alarmed at the turn the conversation had taken and how easily Adam was falling into it.

Agent Fielding gave a small smile. "They really do underestimate you don't they Adam."

The statement was meaningless to Adam. He said, "Doesn't matter. What matters is that Emi stays safe. She's had enough of this. I've had enough of this. Just tell me what we have to do to make this come to an end."

# # # # # # #

"Adam have you really thought this through? Mac … he isn't … dammit Man. You know what this could mean? They're trying to pull you in."

"Yeah. So? All it is is a possibility I might get lent out on a few hypothetical cases in the future. Nothing in stone. They just want to lock down a possible resource." Adam shrugged. "It's just another job."

"Man …"

"Skip it Don. I've been lent out before to help other labs, this wouldn't be much different."

"Like hell it wouldn't. These are the feds we are talking about."

Again Adam shrugged. "A lab is a lab is a lab. The work is the same, only the location is different."

"And the people involved."

"Maybe. But it is what it is. If he keeps Emi safe then whatever. I gotta go. I've got results pending that need to be analyzed before I can clock out."

"Adam …"

Adam turned back to look at Flack and saw real concern rather than just professional caution. Adam dropped his guard for just a moment and asked, "What would you do to keep Jamie safe?"

"An awful damn lot and don't bring up Jess either because I've already thought about it. It's the only thing keeping me from calling Mac right now. He's gonna be some kinda pissed when he finds out."

Adam sighed and said, "Yeah. But … but I need more than Mac on this; he has his own responsibilities. And I can't count on … look, I just need someone outside the lab that I know will have Emi's back if something does go down. Someone that won't judge her and second guess her just because she is … different. Emi as a kid is not the person she is now. Any more than I'm the same person I was as a kid, or even when I first started working with everyone. The problem is that sometimes people want to keep us in the boxes that were built for us … like it's a prison that we can never outgrow. I get it. I'm just as guilty of doing it to other people. Guilty of doing it to myself. But we aren't the people we used to be Flack. Neither of us are. I just wish people could see that."

And with that Adam turned and left leaving Don wondering what the hell was really going on.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Walking into the house that night Adam found things to be clean … weirdly clean; like a bunch of manic house elves had descended on the property and done their work almost too well. It made him look down and then wince guiltily when he saw he'd tracked in a few leaves and some dirt. "Emi?"

Emi walked down the hall pulling an ancient vacuum cleaner that looked like a robot from an old Sci-Fi movie. They'd dug it out of the old under the stairs storage area and had decided to keep it when they found to their amazement that it still worked. Smiling brightly after spotting Adam, Emi said, "Don't look in the parlor, you'll totally spazz. I've got boxes and bags stacked half way up the ceiling in there. Someone from the church is coming tomorrow to haul it off to the St. Vincent's thrift store. That will give us an empty space so we can finally start going through all of the stuff in the attic. There's boxes of Christmas decorations in there, I know there is, and I want to decorate the house the day after Thanksgiving. Speaking of … do you know which shift you are going to work on Thanksgiving? And don't tell me you don't know if you are working or not because you always work on the holidays."

"Uh …"

"And I scrubbed the bedroom and bathroom. Smells of piney goodness. Too much piney goodness actually; I had to crack the window open to air the room out a little. Next time I'm using lemon … or maybe orange. Depends on what essential oil is on sale at the health store. I even made headway in …"

Adam stepped in front of her and said quietly, "Hey. I'm home."

Emi smiled brightly. "I know."

"Wanna go out?" he asked.

Emi thought about it then shrugged. "Not really but I wouldn't mind ordering in."

Adam went back to the front door and then brought in a bag. "Chinese ok?"

Emi blinked in surprise then giggled, instantly banishing the OCD mood she had been in. "How do you do that?" she asked standing on tiptoes to kiss his whiskery chin.

Adam smiled and said, "Magic." In truth he'd simply fallen back on what he sometimes had to do for himself to stop his own OCD merry-go-round.

They walked back to the kitchen and Adam saw she'd been cleaning everywhere. It reminded him how she'd been when Reni was still alive. Dust didn't even bother falling on stuff in their apartment because it knew that it wouldn't rest a full day before being collected and sent to the incinerator. It was a symptom of her own version of OCD. So many other things were out of her control so she had to have some control over other things. It was the same for him though it showed up more in the lab than it did anywhere else.

Looking around he said, "Wow. You've been … er … busy."

Emi straightened her shoulders. "It's time. I've been wallowing. Da would have said like an ol' pig in a big mud puddle." Adam laughed as he was pretty sure he'd heard his grandmother say the same thing when he was a little boy in Arizona. A little more seriously Emi added, "I admit that it's impossible for me to get rid of all of the baggage I have been hauling around but it's time for some of it to go."

"Uh … what brought this on?"

Emi turned away but not before Adam could see a flash of hurt flickering across Emi's face. "I've been playing make believe for too long. Way too long. Time I owned up to it." She took a deep breath and said, "My marriage was a shame. I sucked at … at all of it. I … I can't be that way this time around." Emi jumped. "I … uh … I mean …"

"This time around?" Adam asked coming up behind her and pulling her close against his chest.

"Yeah," Emi answered quietly. "This time. With … with you. Adam I need to tell you something. I don't want to screw this up and you said I needed to be … completely open … not hide things. So … yeah … dumping some garbage and need to talk."

"Uh … ok."

Emi turned in Adam's embrace, laying her head so she could hear his steady heartbeat. She then in a quiet voice said, "Gary blamed me for Felicia dying. He said that I was the one that gave the ok for her to have the caesarean so it was my fault. I had a limited power of attorney for both of them because … because that's the way the court ordered it. I was other things too … like their payee. It … it kinda screwed up things between us but it was the only way the family court said they wouldn't take the baby as soon as Felicia gave birth. Gary got it all mixed up though. He said that … he said that I'd always been jealous of their relationship and that I stole Reni from her and as a result stole Felicia from him."

"What?! C'mon Emi … you don't believe …"

"I didn't say I believed what he said. I said that's what Gary believed. Or he did the last six months of his life, I'm not sure what he believed before that anymore. He didn't just start getting bad when Reni got sick. He'd … he'd started to get bad before then. I … I didn't really fall down the stairs to the laundry room."

Adam stiffened, remembering the incident.

"He was so scared after he acted on his feelings. He kept waiting for me to call the cops. I mean he was really frozen up. I finally got him to his doctor's office and they got him stabilized. They changed his meds and … and for about three months he went back to being … well he went back to being the Gary that I was used to and could manage. Or I thought he had. Before I found out he wasn't taking his meds the right way. Then … then that night you found Reni and I in your closet. Off and on for as long as I've known him Gary would … he liked to hide in closets and … and watch people. He got caught in the girls' dorm room a couple of times but Felicia always covered for him. She believed he'd been in there watching her. She'd … she'd … anyway, she liked him watching her do … stuff. She thought it proved how much he loved her. Felicia had her issues and … she used Gary to fulfill some of her own needs. Then Felicia died and Gary's world went haywire. When I married him I … well we were married and I thought … geez … I let him … watch me … I guess I rationalized it as being something Gary needed. But then he started turning … mean. Or maybe it was that I just didn't think anything of it after I got used to him doing it and … and he was looking for more attention or something since I didn't react to it anymore. His … his watching got … it got scary and I stopped ignoring it. When I caught him watching Reni from the closet … she started having nightmares about monsters in the closet is how I figured out what was going on … well I confronted him and we had a big blow up and he said some really nasty … uh … he said I was jealous of Reni the same way I'd been jealous of Felicia. Then you know what happened … and you helped me to get him committed and I thought he'd gotten … better. But he was really awful in other ways and started truly falling apart when Reni got so sick. For him it was like losing Felicia all over again and mixed in there was fear that … that I'd stop taking care of him. On the one hand he'd come to despise me and on the other hand he'd started to recognize that I was the only thing standing between him and … and a world he couldn't cope in."

"Emi … Babe …"

"Let me finish … please. See, towards the end … with Reni … when it wasn't a matter of if but of when … I'd started to wonder if I could … if I could continue taking care of Gary if Reni wasn't there to give me reason to keep going. I sat in the ICU with my baby girl … and she was mine, I don't care what anyone else says … and wondered about what came next. I realized that I wanted something Gary wasn't capable of. I thought about leaving him then I'd feel bad for thinking it when I knew what would happen to him if I did. Maybe the thought had crept in before then though I don't remember thinking it in a literal sense but … but maybe it was there subconsciously." Emi shrugged. "I think maybe Gary sensed that I had reservations and he went looking for a back-up plan. I think I may have pushed him to …"

"No!" Adam pulled Emi tightly against him stopping the flow of words. "Gary may have been sick but he was still accountable for his choices and actions. He knew what he was doing. His motivations were screwy but the choices were still his."

"Gary was easily manipulated."

"Yeah he was," Adam said grateful that she could at least see that part of it. "Don't do what my mom did Emi. Please don't do that."

"Huh? What?" Emi wondered how Adam had equated her with his mother.

Adam did his best to explain. "Blame yourself because your husband turned into a mean ass abusive snake. He wasn't like this when you first married him. He wasn't like this when I first met you two. That's not something that I would have missed. But at some point he chose to walk down that path of his own free will. Yes, Gary had issues but he wasn't completely gone to the point he wasn't responsible for his actions. My mom used to think if she could just be what my father wanted he'd … he'd stop being the way he was, he'd turn back into the loving husband and father he was the first couple years of their marriage … before I was born. Reality was she was just fooling herself, taking blame that wasn't hers to shoulder. My father knew better and it wasn't my mother's fault that he chose to act the way he did. Maybe Gary has more of an excuse than Charles Ross ever had but you still aren't responsible for the choices he ultimately made. Don't go down that road Emi. If you can't do it for you right now, then do it for me. It kills me to see you so torn up and hurting."

Emi lay limp in Adam's arms and then he felt her arms come around him and grab hold like she was grasping a lifeline. "God Adam, how do you always know what to say? How to explain things so I see them? Don't leave me … please. It would be like going blind and deaf."

"You couldn't get rid of me if you tried," he whispered into her hair.

It was a while before they ate but the take out was just as good reheated as it would have been straight out of the boxes. Later as they lay in bed … they'd both needed some comfort … Adam's phone rang. Out of habit he reached over to the nightstand to see who it was. Danny's face popped up on the screen but after a second Adam put his phone on silent and then laid it face down.

Sleepily Emi asked, "Who was it?"

Adam pulled her protectively close and said, "No one."


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

"Yo! Adam! Wait up Man!"

Adam almost cringed as he heard Danny's voice as he was walking across the parking garage.

"Hey, don't you check your phone these days?"

"I was taking care of Emi."

Irritated Danny asked, "She need taking care of that much you can't even …"

Equally as irritated Adam answered, "Yeah. She needs taking care of. She deserves being taken care of after all the time she's spent taking care of others. She's got a crap load of stuff that has happened to her and that is still happening to her. So yeah, I'm there for her. Weren't you there for Lindsey when she was freaking out over Daniel Katums?"

Danny knew right then that Kendall had been right. And he also realized he'd screwed up. Big time. "Yeah. Yeah I would. I'd also be smart enough to let Lindsey's friends help too."

"Lindsey has lots of friends. She's like that. But not everyone has her talent for being easy to like. Being easy to get to know."

Danny said, "You're talking about Emi."

"Yeah. Emi is careful. She isn't easy to get to know, not the real Emi. She worries."

"About?"

Adam just turned and wasn't going to answer but Danny grabbed his arm. Adam shook him off and told him, "Leave it alone Danny. Leave me alone. We gotta work together and … and regardless of other stuff I don't want to mess that up."

"Talk to me Adam. Clear the air if you're that pissed."

Adam looked at Danny and then shook his head. "That's the thing Danny. I'm not pissed. I'm disappointed."

Surprised and feeling defensive Danny said, "What the hell?"

"Yeah. I'm disappointed. How many years did you spend being the local screw up? You look back and kinda laugh about it now but you basically still expect people to get over it, let it go, that you've proven yourself enough so your screw ups don't count anymore. Another thing, everyone is just supposed to ignore your past as far as the Tanglewood Boys go too. Hell … for that matter how many years did I spend being the lab's biggest screw up? But everyone still expected me to do my job if nothing else, gave me enough credit to know I would no matter what, especially you … and yeah I admit that. You were one of the first to really give me a chance and I'll never forget that. But along comes someone that has even better reason to … to be different. That being different is a good part of the reason why she is so good at doing what she does. And you … you and Lindsey both … even knowing about Reni …" Adam jerked his arm out of Danny's grasp and growled. "Dammit. I am not doing this."

Danny ever one prefer a confrontation to air things out said, "Yeah … yeah we are. We ain't ignoring this."

"That's the thing Danny, I'm not ignoring it. I'm dealing with it … but I'm doing it in my own way. A way that will make sure that Emi is hurt the least. She'll completely freak and blame herself if she thinks there is trouble between us. So … there's not going to be trouble. But no way in hell will I let her see just how … Screw it." Angrily Adam got in Danny's face startling Danny with just how mad he was. "Here's how it is going to be Danny … you and Lindsey are gonna be busy, 'cause you are. Your mother or sister or a cousin wants to see more of your kids … family stuff. Emi can wrap her head around that. She basically admitted that she never figured she'd be a permanent solution anyway … she knew you didn't really need her; she wasn't your first choice, she was just convenient for the moment. She knows she's not really family … not even lab family … she said that straight out. As for us, maybe we eventually get to a place we socialize outside of work like we were doing … maybe not. People change, move on. It happens. But if Emi sees your kids at some work function or whatever you don't say jack crap about her paying some attention to them. You let her. Got it? 'Cause all she sees when she looks at Lucy is what Reni could have been in a different life. It made her happy to imagine it, to know some kid was having it even if Reni didn't get that chance. Lucy gave her some place to spend those emotions and she knew how to make your little girl laugh which was all Emi really wanted. And you just leave Emi the hell alone about everything else. You don't go prying into our business, trying to see if you can 'fix' this because to 'fix' it Emi has to find out there is something to fix. She's got enough pain going on in her heart finding out …"

Adam was struggling, really struggling to control his temper. He wanted to hit something. He didn't want to hit Danny. Angry or not Adam didn't want to go down that road.

Quietly, almost like it hurt, Adam told Danny, "Just leave us alone. We don't measure up. I get it. I can live with it. It's how it's always been. But Emi … she'll blame herself and …"

"Dammit Man, that's not … I … I never meant …"

Adam looked at Danny and could see that he was telling the truth, that he'd never meant for them to be hurt. But he could also see that he blamed Emi for what was happening between them.

"This isn't Emi's fault Danny regardless what you think, regardless of what she'd think if I let her find out about it. This is about me, protecting her, from all the crap that keeps being thrown at her. You know what she's dealing with now on top of everything else? Gary had an affair. I knew about it when it was happening and didn't tell her. Then a spy in the sky decided she needed to know … because of some other crap going on and even though it has been almost a year since he blew his brains out, it still broke her heart. Well I'm not going to let it break any more of her. And I'm not going to let her see that two people she'd let inside her walls, that she thought were her friends, are too scared of her to let their kids be around her because of stuff that happened to her when she was too young to know how to deal with it. I don't give a damn whether you ever meant for her to find out that was how you felt or not, I'm going to make sure she never finds out. Ever."

"You done? 'Cause I'd like to get a word in if you don't friggin' mind." Trying to hold his own temper Danny said, "What Lindsey and I said to each other was meant to be private. It was meant to stay private. I don't know how you found out. But yeah, they're my kids dammit and it's my job to make sure the crazies can't get them and …" He knew it was a bad choice of words as soon as they were out of his mouth. He knew it even more when he saw the look on Adam's face. "Dammit that didn't come out like I meant it …"

"Actually, I think it did. And we're done," Adam said before carefully and purposefully turning his back on Danny and walking away.

# # # # # # # #

Whatever might have come after that was interrupted by Adam coming into the lab only to be called into Mac's office.

"Wanna tell me what is going on?" Mac demanded angrily.

It took Adam a moment to let go of what happened in the parking garage and focus on what Mac was saying. "Been a rough start to the day Boss. Can you be more specific?"

"Specific? How about this. I had a visit from an Agent Fielding two hours ago. He wanted me to pass along this." Mac pushed across a Federal Firearms License. "And this." The ID was followed by a SIG Sauer P229 side arm. "And he also mentioned that in the coming months that I might find out you were in high demand in certain areas by certain people."

Adam blinked for a moment before picking up the ID and putting it in his wallet and then replacing his current side arm – a standard NYPD issue Glock – with the P229. Mac was surprised at how confident he was in the handling of the weapon; no fumbling, no nervousness, nothing that Adam had always been known for. What Mac didn't know is that Adam had been spending a lot of time at the gun range getting tips from veteran cops once he'd started to understand what it meant to make the choice to be Emi's protector.

"Anything else?" Adam asked casually.

Mac's face became pinched with concern. "Adam what in the hell is going on?"

Flack picked that moment to knock on the door and walk in without being invited. He glanced briefly at Mac before telling Adam, "Damn that was fast."

"What was fast?"

"Don't play dumb Ross, it don't work on you no more no matter how you try to play it. The purchase record for that SIG … and a copy of the permit for it … came across my Captain's desk first thing this AM … merely as a courtesy mind you. The Captain was thrilled too, I gotta say. I want to emphasize just how thrilled he was so maybe you avoid the precinct until he's over being thrilled." Flack gave his trade mark snarky grin before continuing, "Did we or did we not just have a discussion with a certain … friend … of yours yesterday? Those permits usually take weeks to get … and that's assuming you even get approved. Hell, I know ATF agents that don't got one of those."

Adam shrugged. "I told you. Emi has people looking out for her. This just makes it so that I'm one of those people."

Mac got up from his desk and stood looking at the other two men. "What meeting and what people?"

Flack gave him a brief run down. Then Mac turned to Adam and asked, "You agreed to what?!"

"Mac …"

"Dammit Adam, these people …"

Adam scrubbed his face, thinking he was seriously not in the mood for another fight. Trying to not show how nervous he was Adam became a little stiff and told Mac, "Those people are just people. The only difference between us and them are the toys they have at their disposal. And I won't do anyone any favors if it is going to become a budgetary problem here."

Offended Mac said, "To hell with the money. Do you really think that is what this is about?!"

Adam's face lost some of its stoniness. "No Boss. Sorry. I just meant that I understand it's going to be inconvenient if something does come from the noise they are making right now. But what they say and what eventually happens might not be the same thing."

Mac just shook his head. "This isn't about the lab being inconvenienced either. It's …"

Adam had had enough and told him, "It's about it being the same thing that you would do for Christine if you were in my shoes."

That stopped Mac who started to look at Adam very closely. "You know something."

"I know something," Adam admitted. "I was up last night doing some surfing after I finally got Emi to go to sleep and stay that way. She kept getting up wanting to clean something." Adam shook his head and then took some papers out of his messenger bag. They'd been taped back together after he'd pulled them from the trash bin. They were smudged but were obviously drawings of Gary and the woman he'd had an affair with.

"Emi knew her as Tammy Castleberry. She claimed to be a psychiatric nurse. She worked in the treatment center where Gary's therapist had offices. The therapist checked out, as have the other employees. Tammy Castleberry on the other hand only exists on paper. She left her job a week before Gary committed suicide and has since disappeared. She doesn't appear in any databases before or since that job. The woman known as Tammy Castleberry does however bear a striking resemblance to a woman given the name Jenifer Scott at birth before being taken away from her parents by the State … the older sister of one Jeannie Scott who was removed from the home at the same time."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

When Adam went off to analyze some lab results that he'd put in for overnight processing Mac motioned for Flack to stay back.

"What do you make of what is going on?"

Flack sighed. "Mac you ain't gonna like my answer."

Suspecting as much Mac said, "Tell me anyway."

"Adam has a woman. She's in trouble and has a problem. Adam is making sure that he is part of the solution to her problem. And … and it appears that he's a damn sight better at it than he's been getting credit for. I had a talk with that agent … what's his face … Agent Fielding. Did you know that other agencies have tried to recruit Adam?"

Mac looked stunned. "What other agencies?"

"That bit wasn't shared but Adam just shrugged it off like it was no big deal. Fielding also made it like Adam had an open invitation … all he had to do was seem interested. From what I can tell Adam is the opposite of interested. To turn down that kind of offer should tell you how much he likes his job with you. But liking your job and loving a woman ain't the same thing Mac and we both know it."

Flack had to leave after that but no sooner had he left than Jo wanted to talk to Mac.

"We have a problem in the lab."

"What now?!" Mac growled in frustration.

Jo's eyebrows hit her hair line. "Wow, sounds like your day didn't start out well."

"You have no idea. Just tell me so I can add it to the list."

"Adam and Danny are on the outs."

Mac blinked and slowly sat down before saying, "OK, that trumps some of the other stuff already on the list. I suppose I need to explain a few things to Danny. Adam is going through a bad time. There is still no reason for Adam to cause problems."

Jo sighed. "Actually it's … well I thought it was going to be a nothing event that Adam would blow off and move on like he usually does but …"

"Not this time? So it wasn't something that Adam started? Let me guess, it revolves around Emi."

"Got it in one but in my opinion Adam isn't necessarily over reacting." Mac was briefly surprised then concerned. Jo continued. "It isn't that I don't understand Danny and Lindsey's point of view but it got back to Adam … or Adam guessed what was going on … and the Messers didn't really understand how he would take it."

Sarcastically Mac said, "Well, don't leave me in suspense."

Jo sighed. "Emi's … background … and her actions the day she came to the lab woke up Papa and Mama Messer's protective side. Apparently Emi had helped them out by babysitting Lucy and Luke and …"

Mac guessed, "And they started having reservations about Emi in general and Emi and the kids in particular and it made Adam angry."

"That's the thing Mac. If he was angry I think it would have been over with already. You know Adam, he would have backed off just so it didn't disrupt the lab. I … I'm not sure what it is but Danny came in after Adam looking like he wanted to tear someone's head off and Adam is ignoring him … not avoiding him, flat out ignoring him. As soon as Lindsey came in Danny went straight to her and now she's upset and keeps glancing towards the AV lab."

"Oh hell. Dammit, this isn't high school. OK, I'm siding with Adam on this one. Send Danny …"

Concerned Jo asked, "Do you think that is a good idea Mac? I agree, we are all adults here and our personal lives should not impact our professional lives … at least as much as we can help. Adam … just may need some guidance on how to keep the two separate. I can understand the concern about Emi's interaction with children. In my opinion I think Danny or Lindsey should have gone directly to Adam … or even to Emi … rather than allow it to get back to them from discussions occurring at work. But they didn't and rightly or wrongly it has created what has the potential to be a disruptive problem."

"Jo, this goes well beyond office politics. Adam and Emi have a very real situation they are dealing with. I may sympathize with Danny and Lindsey as far as being cautious but at the moment Adam is not in a position to be able to afford to soothe their nerves. Frankly he shouldn't have to. And knowing Emi she'd probably simply shut down or blow up. The problem should have been discussed _outside_ of the lab since it was a personal issue. I'm not going to have it become a problem _inside_ the lab."

Mac gave Jo the most recent updates and then told her, "Do me a favor and tell Danny to meet me down at the precinct. He needs to see that this isn't just me running interference for Adam. Flack can give him a firsthand account of a certain meeting that occurred yesterday."

# # # # # # # #

No sooner had Mac and Danny left the Lab than Lindsey headed towards AV where she cornered Adam right as he was on his way out.

"Wait, Adam. Please."

Adam sighed feeling the headache that had started after his confrontation with Danny grow worse. It was like screws turning in his temples. Unknowingly echoing what Mac had just said he told her, "Lindsey, this isn't the time or the place."

"OK. I get you don't want to talk about it but I need to say my piece and unless you want me to say it where everyone else can hear you'll come on an elevator ride with me."

Adam shut his eyes and tried to visualize a place of calm. Lindsey was the last person … female type person especially … that he would ever want to show any anger towards. Hell, he'd had a crush on her before she'd fixated on Danny. "Lindsey do we really have to do this?"

"Yes. I think we do," she told him. Both concern and steel threaded through her voice.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

A short elevator ride later found Lindsey and Adam on the roof of the building. Adam was resigned to the-discussion-he-didn't-want and asked, "Ok, now what?"

Direct as ever Lindsey took the bull by the horns and said, "Adam, Danny and I never meant to hurt you. And we don't want to hurt Emi."

Adam responded, "You haven't hurt Emi. I'm not letting her know about this."

Lindsey shook her head, concerned at how Adam was handling the situation. "I realize you are trying to protect Emi, but that's not really protecting her, that's suffocating her. And how is she supposed to understand other people's concerns about her behavior and address them if she doesn't know about the concerns?"

Letting her see a little of how angry he was, Adam asked her bluntly, "Why is it Emi's responsibility to address people's concerns? That's a pretty arrogant assumption. That implies that Emi is automatically in the wrong and needs to explain herself. Maybe it is everyone else that doesn't understand and needs to explain how they feel and act." Adam crossed his arms unconsciously trying to keep the anger he felt inside. "Lindsey, you don't know everything that has gone on and you apparently don't know Emi well enough to know how she'd react to that kind of thinking from people she considers friends."

Lindsey started to say something then stopped, took a breath trying to be fair, and said, "Then explain it to me."

Adam crossed his arms and looked out across the NY skyline debating with himself. Finally he said, "I can't explain everything but … but I'll try and explain the part of Emi to you that might help you understand other parts of her better." He backed away from the ledge of the building and leaned his hip against one of the electrical sheds that housed the stairwell ventilation fans. "Emi was born different. She is literally hardwired different from other people; they've done neurological tests and things that should make one part of her brain light up make a different part of her brain light up. What would make most people react is a complete nonevent to Emi and what most people consider barely noticeable will drive Emi absolutely into the stratosphere. Her brain sometimes spends all day in Opposite Land. A lot of people would use that as an excuse to act out but not Emi."

"I guess I noticed some of that, Emi tried to explain it as well one time, but I've never seen anything to the extreme you are implying."

"That's because she has learned to … to … mute … how she acts on some of how she feels so she can survive. Sometimes it gets away from her but I could say the same thing about most people. Nowadays most people that bother _really_ trying to understand her see that she's just a version of normal … maybe on the outer edges of what people consider normal, but still normal. When she was a kid, not so much. Most of that is because she was so damn smart she would freak people out. It was made worse because Emi simply refused to participate when someone wanted to take her square peg and try and force it through a round hole. She would usually choose to conform eventually, but it was on her terms."

"What about her being labeled the way she was after her parents died?"

"C'mon Lindsey. She was hysterical that night; she'd just watched her family murdered … right in front of her eyes. I don't know too many people, even adults, that would be able to handle that all calm, cool, and collected. Then she reacted badly to the tranquilizer the paramedics gave her which created the opposite effect from what they were going for. She had a meltdown … grade A, Hiroshima-style, Godzilla vs. Ghidorah meltdown … that lasted for days, until she was literally too exhausted to do anything but fall down and be nearly catatonic. After that she struggled because she was learning how to filter the world around her without anyone's help. People that didn't know her, didn't know her medical history, people that weren't even willing to take into consideration what she'd just been through, took one look at her and just decided she was too broken to fix, assumed she needed fixing to begin with. Another part of it was that … look her parents protected her from everything … maybe that wasn't the perfect solution but they were her parents and that's what they did. They made it so that Emi could live her version of normal without much blowback. When Emi is low or when she's in a mood and making nasty jokes about herself she'll actually say that her family was protecting the world from her but I've talked to the Morissey family and some of the other old families in the neighborhood. How they remember it is that Emi was the one that needed protecting because she was so different, that people were always picking on her and pushing her around … mostly it was kids but not always." He shook his head and Lindsey wondered just how much Adam identified with some of Emi's past. "A lot of the doctors she was sent to wanted to medicate her … kill off what made her different … so she'd be closer to what the average person considers normal. Her parents never allowed it. Instead her father was all about teaching her how to cope in a world that she struggled to understand, in a world that really didn't want to try and understand her."

It was a lot for Lindsey to take in but she was trying. She asked, "How did he do that?"

"Different ways, mostly using real life. She didn't go to regular school because in real life you don't spend most of your day sitting with forty other people your same age just being a cog in a wheel or being hammered on because you are the nail that sticks up. Instead he did things like expose her to people in controlled circumstances and then work with her as she practiced how to respond appropriately. He allowed her to explore her interests so that she could find avenues to spend all of the energy she had that would have otherwise gotten her into trouble. He gave her guidelines and morals to live by. He was her safety net. All the things that real fathers are supposed to do for their kids." Again Lindsey heard something in his voice that was very telling. "Her father gave her boundaries and consequences that made sense to her. She still falls back on that stuff today. She's still learning to understand what her parents tried to teach her and why. Sometimes she just … she sometimes … look, she sometimes just doesn't know when to ease up on the boundaries."

The last statement confused Lindsey. "That doesn't make any sense Adam."

"It does if you know Emi. She has lines in the sand her father put there and she just won't cross them. For example, personal responsibility was a really big deal in their house but like just about everything else Emi tends to go overboard with it. She winds up taking responsibility for things that aren't hers to worry about … or maybe she takes all of the responsibility rather than letting other people shoulder their share." Taking a deep breath Adam said, "My father … he blamed everyone else for stuff rather than accepting any responsibility at all, or he'd make stuff up to try and explain how he was feeling, why he was angry. Emi is the opposite of that but it's … it's not any better. She gets stuck in a thought cycle feeling guilty for things she shouldn't feel guilty about."

Really trying to understand what Adam was telling her Lindsey asked, "How do you mean?"

"This stuff going on … between me and Danny. Emi would see it and say it is her fault, that somehow, some way, that if she'd just been different, done something different, if she wasn't around at all, that Danny running his mouth about her childhood would not happen, that it wouldn't mean anything to begin with. Or worse, she'd say that she was getting what she deserves because of what a rotten kid she was. And yeah, I know how over the top that sounds but that would be how she felt … that if she wasn't around things wouldn't be like they are but that's not the whole story. She _is_ here, and she _is_ the person she is, she _is_ the person I need, and the things that happened to her as a kid _aren't_ her fault any more than the fact that she was born different is her fault. She's dealing with things a heck of a lot better than people with better advantages and fewer differences deal with them. Besides, this isn't just about Emi and what she means to me. There's more to it Lindsey. I can't, not if I'm going to have any self-respect, just stand there and let Danny rag on her because she is different, or rag on her for a past she barely survived through no fault of her own. That's wrong."

"Oh Adam."

"Don't Lindsey. If you hadn't gotten to know Emi, if you hadn't spent time with her and seen how she was with Lucy and Luke I could maybe see how you were misreading her. If I didn't know Danny and see how you normally were with people I wouldn't feel so … so disappointed in how rough you're being on her. But, you did and I thought you even became her friend. I thought you would understand that she'd rather die than see anything happen to your kids. She was the one that had that extra deadbolt put on her workroom and the basement door. She's the one that asked me to install those baby gates on both ends of the stairs. She's the one that insisted that I put those childproof locks on the outside gates."

Lindsey looked troubled. "I thought you did that stuff."

"No. I mean I did do it but it was Emi that brought it up first. She was a mother … still is in her heart. She's already been through all of that stuff with Reni. It is second nature for her to think in those terms." More quietly he said, "And she loves to make Lucy laugh. My God, I'm supposed to just stand there and let someone tell her she isn't good enough to be around the little girl whose laughter eases the pain she feels because she misses her poor little dead daughter? Tell me Lindsey, how do I do that? How would _you_ do it? _Could_ you do it?"

Lindsey was close to tears. Subconsciously she'd known that Emi had at least in part equated Lucy with Reni but to have Adam come right out and say it shook her. She tried to put herself in Emi's place and couldn't. On the other hand … "Adam, I don't believe that Emi would mean to hurt my children but she's so … unpredictable. And now to have evidence of the consequences of her unpredictability?"

Adam shook his head. "Actually in a lot of areas it is pretty easy to predict how she is going to react. That's how I know that if she finds out about this she won't blame you or Danny the way most people would in her shoes … she'd blame herself."

"Why?"

"Because she knows she's different. She understands that way better than people judging her do. She's spent her whole life being told how different she is. Having to come to grips with it. She doesn't see herself as unique or eccentric though, she sees herself as abnormal and too many people have been more than willing to reinforce that."

"Adam …"

"You keep saying my name like it's going to change things or make me see your side. I already see that side of things … you think Emi is the only one that has had to deal with being different? Why I'm disappointed is that I didn't expect that side of things to be the way you and Danny saw them. So I laid down the terms. I am not going to make things difficult at work. I'm not dragging Mac into this or anyone else. I'll do my job and no one has to worry about that. But I'm withdrawing from the field as far as anything else goes. You people made your choice, now I'm making mine. Emi doesn't know how to protect herself from this kind of crap. I do. I've spent my whole life doing it. So now I'm going to protect her. There's nothing more I can say than that."


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

For Adam most of the remainder of the day was blissfully uneventful. He went back to the AV lab and proceeded to knock off several items on his to do list, recalibrate several pieces of equipment, answer several queries by the other lab rats on clarifications needed on tasks they'd been assigned, debugged a new program the City IT team had installed on the lab's mainframe, and in general not just look busy but actually was busy. What Adam didn't do was make himself available for any non-lab-related discussions. When anyone would start horsing around or socializing he'd smile and then quickly find he needed to be somewhere else. It used to be that Adam was the center of such activities, even if it was unintentional. Adam may have been socially awkward at work but he still at least made the attempt, seemed to need such interaction. But now he put a wall up. He didn't bother to pretend but he also wasn't rude or abrupt and most people just put the difference down to Adam being weird again.

Hawkes however decided he wasn't going to be held off. "Hey, got a sec?"

"Actually …"

"Whatever excuse you're coming up with Man, just give it up. I may not have walked in Emi's shoes but I know what it means to be a kid and be completely different from your peers … or do you think a 'child prodigy' who graduates from university the same time everyone else his age is just getting their high school diploma gets an easy road? Gimme a chance at least to hear your side of things. Gimme a chance to understand and make sense of it."

Adam looked at the clock and sighed. He'd been so close to getting out without another so-called discussion. But since Sheldon Hawkes had already put it on the line for Emi he figured he owed the man.

"Hawkes, I've got to …"

At that moment Mac returned to the lab and made a beeline for the AV lab. He looked at Adam and said, "Situation room. Now. Hawkes, you as well."

The whole team assembled in the situation room but Adam was the last to sit and then only after Mac pointed first at him and then at the chair, all but ordering him albeit silently.

Mac said, "This has gotten out of hand. I can't tell you the number of hours that I've wasted …" He stopped when he saw his words – chosen in frustration – cause Adam to close off. Mac sighed. "Let me rephrase that. I'm frustrated by the number of hours I'm having to spend on this situation … and no one needs to play coy, every one of you knows that I'm referring to how the subject of Emi and Adam has been discussed on work time. Part of me feels ridiculous that I even have to state the obvious." Allowing his frustration to show Mac continued. "First off, I consider this a personal issue, one that should not have impacted the lab at all. Secondly, rather than gossiping and running to other people it should have been discussed directly with Adam and not in the lab where others could overhear it and take sides in a discussion they shouldn't have been privy to to begin with."

Adam was looking at a point over Mac's right shoulder rather than directly at him. He hated being under discussion like this … it made him nervous and anxious … and angry. He hated being angry most of all. He'd found a solution. Why couldn't they all just let it go dammit?

His position also meant he had his back to everyone else. If he hadn't he might have seen the others' feelings of guilt at how this had gotten out of control. Even Jo was upset at how her words had been used; she'd never meant to be so harsh about Emi's quirkiness. If he hadn't been able to see that, there's no way he could have missed the look of regret on Danny's face, a look he'd had since he'd returned to the lab.

Mac intoned, "This situation will come to an end."

Adam rubbed his forehead. "There's not a 'situation' Mac. I'm not arguing with people. I'm doing my job. I'm getting the work people need me to …"

"You can't pretend this doesn't exist."

Adam shook his head. "I'm _not_ pretending. I'm simply dealing with it so that there is as little impact to the lab and to Emi as possible."

To everyone's shock Emi suddenly pushed the door open and slid into the room saying, "A very wise man once told me that you can't always take care of a situation by shouldering all of the responsibility for it." Adam jumped out of his chair and glared around at everyone, furious. Emi went over to him and put her hand on his arm and just looked up at him. For once she was the calm one. As for everyone else in the room they were completely flabbergasted at her appearance, including Mac.

Adam looked around and realized no one in the room had told Emi so he just flat out asked her, "Who spilled the beans?"

"A little birdy and no, it wasn't done maliciously or with ill intent." She turned to the others and her body language spoke volumes for anyone with half a brain to take notice. She didn't stand completely in front of Adam but she was obviously in a very protective stance. Still smiling that odd Mona Lisa smile that never quite made it to her eyes she looked at the others. "Next time you have a problem with me, come to me about it. Ask direct questions and you'll get direct answers … probably more direct than you'll be comfortable with but that's me and that's life. Don't put Adam in the middle, it's not fair to him. I'm perfectly fine with and capable of proving myself as needed. Again, deal with it or not, that's on you."

She then turned to Mac. As respectfully as she ever got with anyone she said, "Thank you for trying to take care of this but I want to impress on you the same thing I told to everyone else. Come to me directly. I've dealt with a lot of crap in my life. I don't need protecting … at least not to the extent you and Adam are attempting to do. I can handle criticism and concerns … and even people being afraid of me, and if not of me of how I can act. Call me on the carpet or whatever you need to do. I won't break."

Adam was almost speechless but whether from outrage or anger you couldn't tell. Ignoring both potential emotions Emi simply hugged him. "Thank you. No one since my Da has even come close to caring about me the way you do … or understanding me. But I can't let you make this kind of sacrifice. You love your job. You love your friends. You care about how everything works around here."

"Don't," Adam whispered.

"I'm not going anywhere," Emi told him much to his relief. "I'm not running. See this? This is me not running away. This is me staying and dealing with things head on. This is me deciding I care enough to deal with things head on."

Her chin went up a notch before she said to the room in general, "I'm not perfect and readily admit it. Do not take my imperfections out on Adam. Ever." The last had a very real ring of steel to it and people got the message.

Emi once again turned to Mac and the temperature in the room seemed to drop by a couple of degrees though it wasn't really directed at Mac so much as the situation she was confronting. "It would appear that once again my past is bleeding over into the present and affecting people I care about." She pulled a memory stick out of one of the pockets of her cargo pants. She handed it to Mac. "This is pretty much all I remember of Jeannie Scott and my time as a ward of the state. I tried to format it like a deposition to make it less cumbersome but it still reads like a nauseating, penny dreadful novel. It also contains all I've been able to piece together as far as Jeannie's home life prior to being removed and placed with the State. Maybe there is something in there you can use, maybe not, but you'll have it just in case. I would prefer it not to become public fodder for discussion but whatever, crap happens and I'll deal with it if it does; it isn't like any of it is a state secret. I would suggest however that you secure that stick; stuff tends to get confiscated or go missing concerning the Ying Yang murders." Softening just a bit she shook her head and added, "I really am sorry that I've become a problem for Adam … and for you. I won't let it happen again."

When Emi turned to leave Mac stood. "Emi …"

"Don't Mac. Please. I understand that you are trying to protect the integrity and efficiency of the lab. I'm not offended by that, actually I admire it. And I respect the position you are in and the job you do. I'm even grateful that you attempted to set right the mess I made of things. I just want you and everyone else to know I'm not going to make things more difficult by working at cross purposes. I'm not going to encourage descent in the ranks. I'm not going to try and change Adam. But right now I'm having to fight to keep my mouth shut on a few things and I'm topped off with it all. You people don't just work together, in a very real sense you are a family. I feel like I've created some serious dysfunction in the ranks and it doesn't make me feel very good. So I'm doing what I can to repair that."

With that Emi left and walked towards the elevators letting no one know just how close she was to crying. She wasn't going to run away but it hurt to once again feel just how different she was from everyone else. It hurt worse to think that in her difference she'd caused Adam pain, embarrassment, and trouble, especially at work, the one place he'd always treasured as a personal success; that she'd jeopardized what he'd worked so hard and had sacrificed for.


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note** : First a thank you to everyone that has been reading and those that have been able to find the time to review as well. Cornish Pasties and Smuffly, gotta say you two give me the giggles sometimes. Next, hope everyone has had a happy and safe New Year celebration. We had a very warm one here ... about 84 degrees F. I think that is 29 degrees C if I made the conversion right. It should be cooling off this weekend but only for about a week then we'll be back up in the 80s. Basically so far it looks like the year without a winter in my area. Made sitting outside at night and writing an enjoyable activity ... or so says the tricksy little writing fairy who sits on my shoulder giving me lots of twisty ideas. LOL! A few more chapters in this episode that will end on a surprise and then I'm already writing the next episode that continues the surprise so hang on tight.

* * *

 **Chapter 28**

"Emi, didn't you hear me? Wait up." Adam's voice finally registered and Emi turned in surprise.

Automatically Emi responded, "I made you mad. I'm sorry."

"You didn't make … uh … Emi? Are you … er …?"

Admitting to Adam, "Yeah. So I'm upset. Trying to behave like a grown up … a real one and not just someone playing at it. So the tears you see won't be exiting. Controlling things here. You mean that much to me Adam. I can't tell you how much … at least not here … or I'll wind up embarrassing us both so … anyway … I'm really sorry about this whole mess. All of it."

Desperately Adam whispered, "Don't run off."

"I already told you …"

"There's running off and then there's running off. Don't shut me out. I don't want to see you cry … ever … that doesn't mean I won't stand with you if you do. I just wish …" Then almost belligerently he asked, "Who told you?"

"It's not really important."

"It is to me. Was it those feds?"

"What?! No. People give them too much credit. _James Bond_ and _Mission Impossible_ are just movies, not real life. Sure, the Ying Yang cases might be on their list of things to do, and because of that I'm on their radar, but I'm not their entire job description, nor are they omnipresent and omnipotent."

"Then who?"

"I don't want to talk about it here in the lab."

Adam was no slouch when it came to figuring things out. He looked at her and when she nodded he nodded back. It could have only been Kendall, Jo, or Christine. He was pretty sure it wasn't Mac's wife; Mac wouldn't discuss stuff like this with her. Or at least he didn't think so. Then there was Jo, who looked as surprised as the rest of them when Emi had entered the room though that didn't completely rule it out; Jo could be sneaky. That left Kendall and while it was a little surprising if it was her, at the same time it wasn't. There was a reason that he'd been attracted to her at one point. He'd eventually find out from Emi but for now he accepted it would have to wait and decided to calm down.

He watched Emi go knowing that she needed to. She'd said what she felt she needed to and maybe it would work and maybe it wouldn't. He wasn't sure he had that kind of confidence in people anymore.

He walked back towards the situation room only to see the others filing out. He was going to change directions but Mac made a motion for Adam to come to his office. Once Adam was in Mac shut the door and had them both sit down.

"Are you willing to let this situation go?"

"I wasn't creating a situation to begin with," Adam stated once again, trying not to let his nervous irritation with the subject show.

"That's not what I'm saying … or asking."

Uncomfortable, Adam responded, "Mac I'm doing the best I can. Why can't that be good enough? I never intended for any of this to impact my work performance, or impact the lab at all."

"That's not what I'm saying Adam." Then revealing his own frustration he said, "Dammit, who has been trying to recruit one of my people away and why didn't I know about it?!"

Surprised at the turn of the conversation Adam just sat there staring for a moment before explaining nervously, "I … uh … I started putting out resumes when Sinclair put my job on the chopping block. I mean I appreciated everyone giving up some of their vacation days so I could stay but none of us knew how long that would last. I get fun little emails from personnel once a quarter reminding me that they still don't consider the situation resolved. It just seemed putting out resumes was the prudent thing to do. I ended up getting a few responses, took some tests, wrote some essays, now I guess I am in some big database in the sky. I've had a few offers, some in private industry, some with government agencies. It's no big deal."

"Agent Fielding seemed to think it was."

"Yeah well, he made it out to be more than it is as far as I'm concerned. I'm still here. I'd like to stay here."

Mac heard the question Adam wouldn't ask. "Adam your job was never on the line over this."

Whether he meant to reveal it or not Mac could see Adam relax and in response Mac relaxed. Loyalty was just as important to him as respect and honesty and it had bothered him to think that Adam was merely waiting around until he got a better offer.

Adam, desperately wanting to change the subject said, "Emi is trying to trust you."

"Excuse me?"

"The memory stick she gave you … she hardly talks about those years. She's only talked to me about them in general terms until just recently. She ... she is trying to trust you Mac and that means a lot to me even if it doesn't to you. You see how people react when they hear her personal history. She's always tried to keep it private. There aren't too many people that know it … and you can guess why just from seeing how people here reacted to it. That's what makes it so crazy that that Dr. Carrolls knew pieces of that part of her history. Has there been any more movement on that front?"

Mac didn't want to change the subject but realized since he'd put everyone on notice to be more careful about discussing personal matters at work he'd have to follow the same rules or look the hypocrite. He shook his head. "None yet. Whoever the fake Dr. Carrolls is, she's covered her tracks well." Briefly debating with himself Mac finally said, "Adam, if or when you have this kind of issue again I want you to know that you can come to me. It doesn't have to be here at work. For that matter it doesn't have to be about work."

Adam looked like a deer in the headlights. "Uh …"

"There's no pressure Adam but you might benefit from being able to talk to someone. I'm not talking about a therapist either. Just … a sounding board as it were."

"Er … I … uh … I appreciate it Mac." Adam wasn't sure what to make of Mac's offer so he filed it to examine later. As in later when he wasn't so freaked out. Then he did what he did when things got too emotionally intense, he used work as a way to burn off the angst and nerves. He only had about an hour to go on his shift and he needed to pull it together to be able to drive home in NY traffic.

When Adam left the office Mac was still conflicted. He remembered how his concern had him searching out Adam the night after the young man's father had walked away from the assisted living facility and wound up at the precinct. Mac was fond of Adam, had been since he'd first interviewed and then hired him; saw in him a great potential. Adam could irritate the hell out of him but there was something about the young man that spoke to him. He supposed in part Adam fulfilled a need he'd developed in the Marines. He'd achieved the rank of a battle hardened Major with all the responsibilities that came with it, but it was his interaction with the younger men in his command, training them to achieve their own rank to exploit their own potential and talents, that brought Mac the greatest satisfaction.

He felt that night that he'd begun to understand Adam better. The following year had seen a great deal of growth in Adam … or perhaps the trials that he'd faced had revealed more of the man he tried to hide. Mac wanted to see this continue. Yes, he was grooming Adam for a supervisory position in the lab but he wanted it more for Adam's own sake rather than just as a fulfillment of a management goal. His thoughts came to a halt when the phone rang.

# # # # # # # # #

Mac stared thoughtfully at the phone as he replaced the handset on the cradle. Agent Mayberry had called with a potential lead on the identity of the fake Dr. Carrolls.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Mac wrestled with himself for only a moment before dialing out on desk his phone.

A voice on the other end of the connection answered, _"Agent Fielding."_

"Agent Fielding, this is Detective Mac Taylor. From the New York City Crime Lab."

 _"_ _Of course Detective Taylor. I was going to forward some documentation for Adam Ross later today. I take it this is about something else?"_

"I have a piece of information that could be pertinent to the case we have in common."

 _"_ _I'm listening."_

"According to a review of public records the woman using the name Tammy Castleberry, whose birth name was Jenifer Scott, has at least one other identity. Her name was legally changed to Tammy Castle after she was adopted by Berry and Janice Castle. Berry Castle died in a work related accident shortly after the adoption was finalized leaving Jenifer – now Tammy – in the sole custody of Janice Castle. The adoption was … irregular."

 _"_ _In what way?"_

"While the couple passed all of their home inspections, most agencies turned them down based on Janice Castle's psych eval. She went into treatment, a minor chemical imbalance was discovered and treated with medication, and a private adoption then ensued. The irregularity lies in the fact that Jenifer Scott and her unnamed siblings were removed from their birth home by the State. The adoption of Jenifer should therefore _not_ have been made through a private agency. Unfortunately, there are records that are sealed that we don't have access to that could name the other siblings and give us a lead as to where they might be now. Also, Janice Castle and her adopted daughter dropped out of sight not long after the husband's death. There are some references to a Tammy Castle attending several different schools in the states of Pennsylvania, New York, and California but nothing has been found about Janice Castle's whereabouts. However, a copy of the last known driver's license for her closely resembles the description of our fake Dr. Carrolls."

There was silence on the other end. _"A very interesting lead indeed Detective. Give me some time and I'll see if I can't find a way to unseal … or otherwise access … those records. I'll let you know what we find."_

"Please do."

Mac hung up and decided rather than pulling Adam back into his office – the man had probably had his fill of that for the day – he picked up the memory stick and thoughtfully put it into the USB port of his computer and began to read. It was only moments before he was engrossed in the document and the included sketches and photos.

# # # # # # # #

Adam hadn't just had his fill of being "called to the principal's office," which is how being called into Mac's office always made him fill, he'd had his fill of just about everything else as well. He left the lab without saying goodbye to anyone but didn't get away as unobserved as had been his intent.

He had his key in his car door when he heard, "Yo, Adam. Gimme a sec will ya?"

Adam winced and fisted his keys so hard he caused himself some pain. But pain could be a mind clearer and that's what he needed. Adam turned and started to tell Danny that he wasn't up for yet one more "discussion" except that Danny forestalled him. "Look. I don't know what kinda good it will do but you have my apology."

Adam stood there blinking with his mouth hanging open at the unexpected statement.

Danny looked uncomfortable. "Uh … I … uh … over … look man, I overreacted."

Trying hard not to make things worse Adam sighed and asked, "Why couldn't you have just come to me … or to Emi? Why did you have to bring it to the lab? You think we're so weak that we can't take someone asking questions? You never had a problem busting my chops about stuff before."

"'Cause," Danny answered hesitantly. "Man, you're like my kid brother and you've been through hell this last year. I was lookin' for a reason it happened. I was looking to make sure it didn't happen no more. Emi just … I just didn't … she …"

Quietly Adam told him, "I know she's different Danny. It makes her an easy target. But I've known her for over three years. I've watched her go through just as much crap as I have. Worse 'cause she buried her daughter, the only thing she really lived for back then. Then that dumbass she was married to …" Adam shook his head. "Even if you couldn't go to Emi you should have come to me. I thought you at least had that much trust in me."

"Aw man … that's not what this was about."

"For me it was Danny. I know … _know_ … that Emi would put her life on the line for your kids. Maybe you don't get that but I do. I saw her with Reni, her daughter. I've seen her with other kids. She's got this thing … she likes to take care of people, it's as necessary to her as breathing. Then this other thing where she makes no excuses for who and what she is which only makes her more determined to totally take care of whoever she is focused on at that time, like on top of everything else she's protecting them from, she's protecting them from her too. Lucy and Luke fell under that when she babysat for you guys. Even when she wasn't she made a habit of 'baby proofing' the house 'cause for just in case. You didn't know that but I did, you could have come to me and expressed whatever concerns you had and I would have been honest with you because you've always been honest with me. And because I like your kids … they're great kids. I wouldn't have put them in danger."

"So Linds was right, this isn't just about Emi."

Adam shrugged. "No. It isn't."

"I don't know what to say Man."

Adam's phone gave the distinct tone that let him know Emi had sent him a text. Out of habit he glanced down at the screen and then did a double take.

 _"_ _If Danny asks you to go have a drink after work, go. You know you want to … and need to."_

Danny, perpetually nosey, happened to get an eyeful of the text for himself and then gave Adam a sheepish grin. "Women are scary like that. And quick, she beat me by a few minutes. I was workin' up the nerve to ask if you wanted to catch a beer at Sully's. Wasn't sure if you'd say yes or not."

Adam looked at Danny then down at his phone before coming to a quick decision.

He texted, "Don't wait up. Might be a while. It's two for one night. I've got taxi fare."

He held out his phone for Danny to see and asked, "That answer your question?"

Danny's only answer was a huge, relieved grin.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

The next day at the lab both Danny and Adam were hugging their mugs of coffee like it was their new best cuddle buddy. Lindsey shook her head at both of them then burst out laughing causing both men to wince.

Feeling wretched Danny begged, "C'mon Montana … little sympathy here would not go amiss."

Lindsey just kept laughing as she walked away.

Adam wasn't quite as bad off as Danny. Emi insisted on fixing him up some kind of green tea with these pieces of nasty-tasting, bitter fruit added to it when he poured himself in the front door at one in the morning. He nearly gagged drinking it as she gave him a look of "drink it willingly, or not, it's going down your throat either way" but it took the edge off the hangover in the making and when he got up she gave him another shot of something equally as nasty that pushed back the misery that had climbed into the shower with him as he got ready for work. Still, he was once again reminded why binging on a work night was no longer advisable. He cringed when he began to think of the possibility that he might be getting too old for it.

Mac walked into his office an hour later and had to fight revealing a smile when he saw a tin of cookies on his desk. He had to fight a laugh when he opened the tin to find a note that read, "They're sorry. They're really, really sorry. I'll be by at lunch to bring them coconut water and spicy noodle soup to try and make them look less sorry." It only took Mac a moment of glances towards Adam and Danny to understand what she meant. It only took Lindsey's laughter and Danny's wince to complete the understanding. He'd taken a few of those hangover remedies in his younger days.

He quickly became more serious. He'd had a long and frank discussion with Christine last night, getting her opinion of what he'd mentally tagged "the Emi situation." He wasn't surprised to find that she was sympathetic to Emi but was surprised when she told him in no uncertain terms that if there was a next time, he should be the one to go to Adam or Emi instead of trying to handle it for them. In her words, "People will live up to your lowest expectations Darling, so don't lower them just to try and protect them. Both Adam and Emi have overcome incredible odds in their lives. If they've managed to do that, then they should be able to manage a few questions."

It gave him pause and he realized she was correct. By that old saying that the road to hell was paved with good intentions, he had been "managing" both Adam and Emi rather than allowing them to prove themselves. It made it seem like he had no confidence in either of them. He would need to be careful not to allow himself to do that in the future.

That line of thought took him to the "penny dreadful novel" that Emi had presented him with the previous day. The amount of information it contained had been copious. And while she had tried to be matter of fact with its telling, it was nevertheless poignant. On more than one occasion in his life he'd seen greater failures come from less debilitating life events than Emi had experienced; the fact that she wasn't a failure but had used her tribulations to find a form of success was quite telling of her character.

As if someone had just been waiting for him to take a seat at his desk his phone rang. "Taylor."

 _"_ _Detective Taylor, this is Agent Tom Fielding. I have that information you were seeking. Would now be a good time to come up? And could I request that Adam Ross be brought in as well?"_

Looking at his watch Mac asked, "What time?"

 _"_ _Now if possible. I'm down in the lobby."_

Pinching the bridge of his nose Mac told the man, "Come on up. I'll call Adam into my office."

# # # # # # # #

Agent Fielding arrived at Mac's office door and found both men pointedly focused on him. He came in and then door was shut. Looking for permission he then closed the blinds on Mac's glass walls affording them more privacy and to keep prying eyes out of the conversation they were about to have.

Adam, the discomfort from his late night completely forgotten, didn't wait on good manners but demanded anxiously, "What did you find out?"

Tom Fielding looks as fatigued as Agent Mayberry had when he was sitting in the same chair not that many days prior. In a voice heavy with cynicism Fielding said, "Insanity is not just an adjective for how twisted this case is turning into, it's a thread that runs through the entire case itself."

Mac asked, "So this does have something to do with Jeannie Scott?"

"Yes, but at the same time not as directly as we've been hypothesizing, at least as is determined by the facts now known. The primary player isn't Jeannie Scott but appears to be her biological mother, one Eudora Scott."

"Her mother?!"

Agent Field scrubbed his face with one hand while handing Adam an external memory device with the other. "Plug that puppy in and we'll get this convoluted nightmare explained … or as relatively explained as we currently are able to. There are still as many holes as in good Swiss cheese but we're filling them." Mac nodded giving Adam permission and after that was done the first thing to pull up on the screen was a picture of a family … adult male, adult female, and five children consisting of two boys, one of whom was an infant, and three girls.

"This is the Scott family approximately a year before the children were removed from the home. The adult male is Robert Scott. By all appearances a law-abiding, contributing member of society … at least publically. However, in private he had a serious personal problem … a weakness for prostitutes … young prostitutes. During one of his forays into that world he contracted syphilis. Due to the reporting requirements here in the state of NY Robert avoided seeking medical attention so long that the damage was irreversible. He also gave it to his wife who had developed a severe hormonal imbalance after the birth of their fourth child; Jeannie. When Jeannie's doctor discovered her infection during a series of blood tests for some unusual symptoms she was having, Robert – rather than taking responsibility – accused her of contracting the STD during an affair. Unfortunately, everyone believed him given the wife's mental state and inability to refute his allegations. Treatment was given to both of them and both received counseling which reportedly caused Eudora to slide into a deep depression as the therapist also believed she was guilty of infidelity. Then Eudora Scott became pregnant again. The marriage stabilized and all appeared to be going well for the family. The baby … the youngest boy you see in the picture … was about a year old when the older children's school grew concerned that the children hadn't been in attendance for over a week and no one was answering calls to the home. The police and a truancy officer made a welfare check and during it discovered the body of Robert Scott in the downstairs bathroom tub … dismembered. Eudora Scott was badly beaten and unconscious on the floor of the master bedroom. The oldest son was also beaten and was hiding in the basement with his baby brother. The three girls, also covered in bruises though not to the extent of their mother and brother, occupied the remainder of the house and were acting like nothing was wrong."

Both Mac and Adam grimaced.

"During the subsequent investigation a lot of theories were put forward but nothing was ever proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. What is provable is that, one, Robert Scott had taken his sexual frustrations out on his wife and oldest son by beating them both very badly. Two, he then attacked his twelve-year-old daughter … her name was Jewel. After those two facts all we have are theories."

Adam croaked, "There was something wrong with Robert Scott."

Agent Fielding said, "In more ways than one. Our Profiler suspects he had Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) but lacked the self-confidence to act on his narcissistic desires most of the time. The syphilis damage contributed to his radical mental deterioration and subsequent physical abuse of his family which had up to that point gone undetected."

Adam asked, "How many of the kids inherited it the mental illness trait?"

Mac and Fielding looked at Adam. It was Fielding that asked, "What makes you think any of them did?"

"Jeannie Scott was a diagnosed, full-blown sociopath. If we assume the sister Jenifer is also some version of that then it wouldn't be a stretch to wonder if any of the other children eventually received a diagnosis as well."

Agent Fielding looked at Mac with an arched eyebrow. Mac looked at Adam and nodded. Adam's thought processes might appear scattered at times but it would be a bad assumption to think that it adversely affected his ability as an investigator. There were moments, like this one, when it actually sped up his mind so that it reached the correct conclusion ahead of everyone else.

Agent Fielding said, "For whatever reason it became attached to the X chromosome in that generation. All three girls were given a legitimate diagnosis, both boys were cleared though the oldest brother was in therapy for about a year after being fostered by a nice family. He joined the military right out of high school and was buried with honors in Arlington early last year after dying in a land mine incident outside of Kabul."

Both Mac and Agent Fielding were watching Adam mentally building a timeline. "That was about the time Emi's husband started going downhill."


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Agent Fielding looked at Mac and said, "You should exploit him more. He's got the potential for being a hell of an investigator."

Mac looked the agent in the eye and said, "He is already a hell of an investigator."

Normally Mac's praise would have had Adam gasping for air around his tongue-tied embarrassment but he was thinking too hard and too fast.

"You said that Eudora Scott is the master mind. How do you know this? Couldn't it be one of the girls? Jenifer or whoever the other one is?"

Agent Fielding grimaced. "I'm getting there. When I say this case is convoluted I'm not exaggerating." He sighed. "First off, let's get to the dispensation of what happened to the other four children. Jewel Scott, the oldest girl, was remanded to the care of the state hospital and lived in a lock down ward. It was suspected that she killed her father – it would have been considered self-defense if it had ever gone to trial except for the dismemberment of his corpse and her subsequent behavior while under interrogation. At first it was thought that the mother helped her but none of the physical evidence backed that up … which leaves the two younger sisters."

Mac cursed under his breath.

"Exactly," Fielding said in disgust. "There was some evidence to support that line of investigation but none of it definitive, all of it questionable at best, and none of it admissible due to how it was obtained. Jewel was eventually moved to a group home in Upstate NY but went missing five years ago, give or take a few months."

"Son of a …" Mac growled immediately placing the escape in the timeline, coinciding with the original Ying Yang murder.

"Jenifer Scott tested as the least damaged and was farmed out to a private adoption agency where she eventually was adopted by the Castle family. Jeannie … the youngest daughter and barely old enough to be psychologically tested with any accuracy … was placed in foster care. The two foster placements she had proved just how dangerous she could be and she was taken out of the system and placed in a special group home. In that environment she quickly honed her ability to manipulate those around her and everyone forgot how dangerous she was."

"Not everyone," Adam said. "The kids knew."

"I stand corrected," Agent Fielding admitted willingly. "Adults forgot how dangerous she could be."

"What happened to the baby … the youngest boy?" Mac asked.

Agent Fielding's lips twisted. "He was adopted by Timothy and Eva Mortensen."

Adam gasped, "Holy crap!"

"There's nothing holy about this case … I lean towards the demonic though my co-workers think I'm being slightly melodramatic."

Mac said, "Maybe. Maybe not. Tell the rest of it."

Fielding nodded. "Adam, pull up the next series of jay-pegs (.jpg) please. This first picture is of Eudora Scott after leaving the hospital. She spent the next six months living with her parents and trying to find out what had happened to her children … her parental rights had been summarily terminated without recourse by emergency order in family court while she had still been in a coma; neither her lawyer nor her parents had contested it which in hindsight spoke volumes. Several depositions in the file suggest that Eudora Scott experienced a psychotic break as a result of her husband's abuse. Not long after they filed a motion to establish a conservatorship for their daughter who they deemed unfit to manage her financial and personal affairs Eudora's parents were killed in a car crash, after probate she inherited what turned out to be a significant estate from the family trust which she promptly liquidated. Eurdora then disappeared right before she was going to be arrested on suspicion of hiring a mechanic to tamper with her parents' breaking system on their car, and for all intents and purposes the legal identity of Eudora Scott ceased to exist."

"Not long after that Janice Castle and her daughter Tammy … previously called Jenifer … vanish. Janice Castle had no family so there were never any inquiries regarding her disappearance. Tammy Castle shows up in a few public databases but Janice Castle has no significant presence beyond obtaining a couple of IDs and credit cards that were only used once or twice before being paid off and cancelled. The few addresses we've found connected with Janice and Tammy are post office boxes, no physical street addresses. What I want you to notice is how similar in build and coloring that Eudora Scott and Janice Castle are. Here is Janice Castle's picture ID from before her husband's death. Now here is her next known picture ID … a California driver's license two years later."

Adam and Mac both looked closely and then at each other. Mac said, "That's not Janice Castle … that's Eudora Scott."

"You are correct though you can see that Eudora has had some plastic surgery to repair the scarring left from the beating her husband gave her. Eudora usurped Janice Castle's identity. Adam, do you think you could set some parameters and have the computer do an extended search for matching facial characteristics in all national Jane Doe files?"

Adam said, "You're trying to determine whether Eudora Scott killed Janice Castle and disposed of her body."

"Or whether the daughter Jenifer did which is also within the realm of the possible. I wouldn't rule out anything at this point. On our end we are investigating how Eudora found her daughters."

Mac noticed the phrasing. "You said daughters. Plural."

Fielding nodded. "We are fairly certain that around the time of the Mortensen case, the original Ying Yang murder, that Eudora Scott was attempting to reclaim all of her children and had the three daughters under her influence and was working on acquiring the youngest son. The oldest son had apparently rebuffed her attempts to contact him – she and the girls started a letter writing campaign that unnerved him enough that, according to his personnel file, he reported it to his Commander. The attempts at contact stopped after the Mortensen case so he never followed it up since no connection was ever made between the two incidences."

"What happened to the youngest child? He would have been a young adolescent at the time of his adoptive parents' deaths."

Agent Fielding answered, "He went to go live with his mother's family … in another country. By all reports he is a happy, healthy, well-adjusted university student. Or at least as far as his very wealthy and powerful … and doting … grandparents tell us. They've also told us not to contact them again as they have absolutely no desire for their only grandson to be contaminated by the … er … sordidness of his biological family which he apparently knows nothing about."

Mac grunted. "So let's decide we believe the doting grandparents; that distance and inclination take the young man out of the equation … at least for now. What does that leave us with?"

It was Adam that said, "One Psycho-Mom, one sociopathic daughter that is locked up and out of reach, and two other daughters that may or may not be as crazy as their mother. Psycho-Mom is probably the woman who took Dr. Carrolls identity … the basic age and physical description fits. It would also explain how she got Emi's information … by reading the real Dr. Carroll's files."

"Actually the real Dr. Roberta Carrolls had a secretary … and you can guess that her description closely resembles that of the Jenifer Scott/Tammy Castle/Tammy Castleberry suspect."

Mac shook his head, "This is getting ridiculous. And do we know where the oldest daughter is at this point?"

"No, not at the moment. However, it was likely the oldest daughter that partnered with Jeannie Scott in the Mortensen case."

Adam said, "Or maybe it was all four women at that point which is why the evidence was so ambivalent."

Agent Fielding nodded. "That's a theory under consideration."

Adam finally cut to the chase and asked, "And what about Emi? Why did they target her?"


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Agent Fielding sighed and said, "This is all just speculation on my part but I don't think it was really intentional at first. Call it instead a weird confluence of fate or karma or happenstance or even just an old-fashioned accident. There is absolutely no way anyone could have predicted that Emi would be on crime scene clean up duty the night the Mortensen murder was discovered, nor how anyone within our agency would react. However, we do know that once Jeannie Scott realized who was helping to solve the case that she decided to settle an old score."

Mac asked the question Adam was about to. "But there's been a five-year hiatus, why now after all this time?"

"Our profilers suspect there was some precipitating event that occurred at least a year ago."

"Why so long?"

"Because they started trying to get to Emi through her husband."

Adam growled startling the other two men. "Are you telling me that the reason Gary … deteriorated … was because they got to him somehow? That's BS!"

Fielding shook his head. "No that's not the conclusion we came to; but, it is apparent from what we do know that they took advantage of his deterioration. Think about it. When did Tammy Castle go to work for the therapy practice treating him?"

Adam started pacing then stopped and looked at Fielding. Rather than answering directly Adam was still piecing facts and logic out. "Gary was worse off than even I knew; Emi … clarified a few things recently."

Revealing he knew more than even Mac about the relationship between Emi and her husband, Agent Fielding said, "One of his symptoms was voyeurism. He was a suspect in a Peeping Tom case when he and that girl … Felicia … were first released from foster care."

Adam nodded. "Yeah, there's a lot of sick people in the world and he was one of them. Emi said that for a long time he was harmless to everyone but himself; then he became not only self-destructive but actively started blaming others for his condition and circumstances. He also pushed Emi down a flight of stairs."

Fielding stiffened and demanded, "When?!"

"About six months prior to his suicide. Tammy Castle didn't go to work for the practice until a month after the stairs incident. However, I found out that Gary stopped taking his medications correctly and started drinking pretty heavily about the that Tammy Castle … Castleberry … whatever the hell name she calls her own … became part of that practice. Did you know about the time that Emi was forced to have Gary Baker Acted?"

"After the fact but yes. We had a good long talk about the fact that she didn't call for outside help." Giving Adam a wry look he said, "Apparently she felt your help was sufficient to her needs." When Adam just looked back blandly at him, refusing to rise to the bait the agent continued with his explanation after opening a new photo file. "The next graphic is a timeline. I'll add the other incidences you've revealed. What it shows is that the physical aspect of the affair between Gary and Tammy started shortly after Gary was Baker Acted but one of our profilers suggests that it had probably been building for some time before that."

Adam ran his hand through his unruly chestnut mop making it stand on end more than it did naturally. "Emi and I never could figure out what was driving Gary's deterioration. One day he'd be fine and then the next three it would be … unpleasant. Emi told me afterwards that Gary became physically threatening … he even tried to hit her a few times but Emi knows how to fight and Gary had become physically frail to match his mental state. When Reni got sick … he used to be a fairly decent looking guy but by then he'd started using street drugs again … he was a pretty pathetic specimen."

Fielding said, "It was noted but intervention wasn't advisable given Emi's state of mind and her need to stay focused on her daughter."

Adam nodded realizing that here was someone that had taken the effort to get to know Emi well enough to be able to predict how she would act, at least in some circumstances.

Agent Fielding said, "I have a man watching the house and another that follows Emi if she leaves. Unlike in times past she is making no effort to lose her tail. Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Adam said. "Emi said that it was just more trouble than it was worth to play that game this time around. She's at least recognizing the potential danger. She's gonna flip when she hears what we've pulled together."

"Then you agree that she should have it explained to her."

Adam looked surprised. "Of course Emi should be told."

Mac told both men, "She already suspects."

"What?!"

Adam squinted and then nodded. "The memory stick. Did she come right out and say it?"

"No. Or at least not as concretely as we've discussed it here. She has a very interesting way of seeing things. It is like she sees the world through prism glasses and a single incident, once viewed, is seen as split into separate and distinct colors or themes, yet woven together to create a whole picture. She seems to have focal points different from the way most people see things. She included sketches of all of the individuals she referred to. I'm not sure what all of the sketches mean but it looked like she was overlaying some of the sketches of the females. It appears she was trying to morph them together."

"Bone structure and other underlying features," Adam explained. "I told you how Emi builds a construct in her head … not just physically but personality and other criteria that she finds … before putting it together in a sketch or sculpture. She must have made some kind of connection, even if it was just a subconscious one, maybe noted similar characteristics such as a similar nose, ears, or eyebrows or something. I told you she has this thing for faces; she may have been trying to figure out what the connection meant."

Fielding nodded in understanding. "Could I see the sketches and the accompanying document? I'll turn it over to our profilers and it may give them additional insight to help us figure out what Eudora Scott's plan is."

Agent Fielding's cell phone rang and he frowned before answering it with an apologetic look at Mac and Adam. Then he stood up and shouted, "What?! When?!"


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Agent Fielding's grey eyes looked like chips of granite as he ordered, "Call for back up and get Hutchins to the hospital. I want agents on the ground combing the area for anything even remotely useful. Call in that new guy … Mayberry … clear it with his supervising agent. Let's see what he's made of. I'll deliver the news on my end."

Adam was already shaking his head. "No. You had eyes on her. No. No way. This can't be happening again."

Fielding was also angry and concerned but he was the agent in charge and came off calm and cool. "The agent originally on the scene was attacked and is still unconscious so we don't know exactly what happened. He …"

Adam was already turning away and pulling up one of Mac's other computer terminals to access an outside portal. This one led to the security system he'd set up on the house. Emi had thought he was going a bit overboard but he had absolutely no regrets as to him it was a form of insurance, one he was now going to use to the best advantage possible. There was a series of cameras … both inside and out … and Adam had them set to record to a cloud storage area. Both Mac and Fielding, after looking at each other, stared over Adam's shoulder at the screen shots and vids he was pulling up. Everything appeared normal until a couple that Adam had seen pushing a stroller every couple of days in the neighborhood suddenly walked by the agent sitting in the car in front the house. The male member of the couple reached in and touched the agent with some type of device causing the agent to go rigid then jerk like he was having a seizure. The agent's head finally slammed into the stirring wheel of the car. The couple then gave an Oscar-worthy performance where they ran up to the porch, knocked on the door, in a panic about finding a "dead man" in the car in front of the house.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit," Adam growled. "Of course she would open the door on that. Wait … did you see that?!"

Emi exited the house and as soon as she did the woman slammed something against the base of Emi's skull. Emi still managed to fight briefly before collapsing. She was scooped up by the man and folded so that she fit in the old-fashioned baby pram. Due to Emi's petite size all that was needed was a baby blanket placed over it like a wind break to prevent anyone else from seeing the "baby" they were pushing. The couple then proceeded to calmly and normally walk away as if nothing unusual had just occurred.

Adam replayed the scene two more times then said, "Emi … she … I think she scratched the woman and then wiped her hand on the porch bannister."

Mac squeezed Adam's shoulder. "Let's go see what she left us."


	34. Chapter 34

_**Author's Note** : Hold onto your hats folks! Then read my note at the end of this chapter._

* * *

 **Chapter 34**

The quiet neighborhood of neat little houses with neat little yards was no longer quiet or quite so neat. The flashing lights of emergency vehicles lined the narrow street and men in uniforms and suits were going door-to-door questioning everyone as to what they'd seen, if they recognized the man and woman pushing the baby pram, if they'd seen what direction they had gone in. There was yellow crime scene tape marking off the entire scene. There were investigators taking pictures and some swabbing places on the porch bannister and on the car of the agent that had been injured. There were even investigators at the hospital collecting the injured agent's clothes and getting an initial statement from the still groggy and dazed man.

The warmth of Indian Summer had most of the people there loosening their ties – if they were wearing them – or looking for a place to hang the light sweater or jacket they'd left their offices wearing. Some of the more intense individuals were red in the face from the heat which added to the overall appearance of anger and other emotions running high beneath the surface.

Adam wasn't the same mess he was immediately after Emi's kidnapping at the hospital by the Missing Heart Killer but people did try and stay out of his way. His face was pale but his eyes held a feverish intensity that didn't look particularly healthy. He was in the house banging away on his computer set up … pretty extensive compared to most people's home installs … analyzing the security camera footage, trying to get as clear a picture of the suspects' faces as possible so they could be fed into the facial recognition databases to confirm their identity. Mac and Agent Fielding were conferring in undertones while everyone else was gathering physical evidence. Given the timeframe all involved knew that time was of the essence.

# # # # # # # #

Emi woke with a pounding headache. She was also choking.

She heard a woman's voice say, "Don't drown her you fool. Mother wants us to bring her to the rendezvous point. Alive."

Emi smelled hard liquor, and felt it where it had run up her nose. She knew that she was in serious trouble as she'd had no choice but to ingest a couple of good-sized swallows or drown in what was being poured into her. As the remembered feeling of wooziness began to creep in as she reacted to the alcohol Emi tried to focus without her two captives realizing she was conscious.

"I don't understand," a young man complained. "Why do we have to go there? Why not pick some place closer? Why not just kill her and get it over with?"

"Are you questioning Mother?!" the woman asked in outrage.

"Of course not but I want to understand. Explain it to me before Jewely starts making fun of me again. Please?" the young man wheedled.

"Oh for … Look, we need to get away from the City. They have too many eyes here. Too many contacts. Too many resources that could be used to interfere with our plans. Plus, Mother says it will be easier to break her if we take her away from her comfort zone and back to her beginning … we'll prove just how cracked she is … how she's nothing more than a devil spawn and cursed, bringing everyone she comes in contact with misery. Mother said she was close to pushing her over the edge before what's-his-name interfered. It shouldn't be hard to get her to that point again. Once mother has finished that part, we'll reveal to the world just how unstable she really is and at the same time frame her for things so they'll let Jeannie out … or at least give our sister a new trial which will give us better access to get her out of there. Poor thing is probably thinking we forgot about her by now. You know how sensitive she can be."

Emi nearly gagged on drunken laughter at the idea of Jeannie Scott being "sensitive."

"Ok," the young man acquiesced. "But they'll be looking for her anyway. That one guy doesn't seem the type to give up easily."

"Mother thought of that as well. I'm going to force to her call that guy she's shacked up with. She'll tell him she's running away or we'll go back and finish him off. She knows we will do it too. Paybacks are hell … especially for devil spawns."

Emi's mind was working through a number of potential reactions to their plans but being forced to get drunk was impeding her attempts to work it all out. Then the woman grabbed her by the hair at the nape of the neck and shook her brutally hard, rattling both her brain and composure. When she couldn't fake it anymore she "woke up" and was told explicitly what would happen to Adam if she didn't comply with their instructions.

Emi might have been fast approaching "too drunk to make sense" but she was still sober enough to understand how serious the threat was. So when they used her phone to call Adam she only had a few moments to formulate her plan.

Adam answered on the first few notes of her ring tone. "Emi?! Where are you?! Are you …?!"

"Adam, listen to me," she slurred. "Things are kinda crazy in my life right now. I'm … I'm sorta breaking my promise not to run off."

"Emi!"

"Just … just think of my favorite tunes. They'll bring you comfort. Seriously … you gotta play along for me Adam. Just think of our game and think of my tunes. You know … Kenny Loggins would be the first one on the play list you should make … the one we sang in the shower the other night. The second one is the oldie but goodie that Da was so fond of … the one by Fats Domino that you asked me to stop playing over and over because it made me cry. And … and you might want to watch that movie … Curly Sue. It might help you smile and get you through until things get straightened out. You know?"

Adam was silent then said in a strangled voice, "Kenny Loggins. Fats Domino. And … and Curly Sue. You sure?"

"Yep. Absolutely. It's … it's important. And … I gotta go. No choice at this point. Ok?"

"Emi …" But the woman terminated the connection … and then terminated Emi's consciousness by zapping her at the base of her skull again.

# # # # # # #

Mac was looking at Adam who had a wild and triumphant expression on his face. Everyone who'd heard the strange phone conversation became concerned when Adam started digging through his contacts and then hit a speed dial option.

He was mumbling, "Pick up the phone. Pick up the phone. Pick up …"

 _"_ _Detective Bonsasera. Wait. Adam? Is this you? Hey, what's up with my favorite Lab Rat?!"_

Adam swallowed and said, "Stella … I've got an emergency and I need your help."

* * *

 _ **The End of Episode 2 … this story will continue in Episode 3: Buried Above Ground which will begin in a day or so. Aren't you glad you won't have to wait an entire seasonal hiatus to find out what happens next? LOL!**_


End file.
